I think most of us have our checklists in the morning--things we need to do or need to pack before heading out for the day. Beyond basic hygiene and not being naked, my routine is to give the dogs their meds, grab some breakfast, snacks and lunch and pack up my water bottle.
D has a different kind of checklist. First, he really only has to take care of himself in the morning (which will soon change!) except for the rare occasions that he feeds the dogs or lets them in or out (that is like second nature to me, so I don't feel the need to include it in my To Do list). Second, he doesn't really need to think about what to do in the morning because I constantly question if he remembered to grab lunch or if he has his cell phone or if he has tried the new bars or trail mix I bought. So, D's checklist doesn't really happen until we're in the car--or more precisely--until I start to get out of the car.
You see, we carpool to work on a fairly regular basis and at least half the time that we ride together we are rushed and he needs to drop me off and get to the office in under 10 minutes (which is very doable most mornings, but traffic does happen). This morning was one of those mornings and as I exited the car he said, "Have a good day. I'll call you when I'm leaving. Love you. Bye." I looked at him and replied, "Did you get everything?" He nodded and we kissed (because we ALWAYS kiss goodbye).
Anyway, I thought it was cute and it goes to show that I'm not the only crazy one in this relationship.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Weekend of Labor
No. I was not in labor, nor was I in the hospital for anything preterm labor related. But it was Labor Day weekend and all, and although I had Monday off from my job, the work was never ending.
My very pregnant self (T minus 9 weeks!) and D worked around the house ALL WEEKEND. No rest for the weary. We made at least two trips to the local home improvement store (because we can never get everything we need all at once) and then went out to dinner twice. The rest of the weekend was spent indoors slaving away on self-imposed projects. And oh, it would have been a beautiful weekend to have been outside.
Anyway...we were quite successful in completing our project lists and although I am still freaking out about everything we have left to do before we bring a baby home, we are both happy with the progress we made. AND we didn't kill each other! We worked at home together, on home improvement projects no less, and we didn't kill each other or file for divorce! We have truly matured.
Here are the things we have checked off our project list:
We still have a lot left to do, but once the carpeting is installed (we should hear from them sometime this week) the rest of the list isn't urgent. At least I don't think it's urgent right now--I might feel differently tomorrow, or in 15 minutes.
And as I mentioned above, we also went out to dinner twice (one involving the most delectable of all desserts), both times with my parents. It was their 35th anniversary yesterday and we tried to take them out for dinner on Sunday, but they insisted on paying and then invited us out to dinner again last night and insisted on paying again. We obviously need to sharpen up on our 'grab the check' skills; but they did tell us to put that money towards baby items, so I guess it all works out. (?)
Oh, and D also made me scrambled eggs with ham and cheese on both Sunday and Monday. Love.
I hope you all had lovely weekends and found time to RELAX!
My very pregnant self (T minus 9 weeks!) and D worked around the house ALL WEEKEND. No rest for the weary. We made at least two trips to the local home improvement store (because we can never get everything we need all at once) and then went out to dinner twice. The rest of the weekend was spent indoors slaving away on self-imposed projects. And oh, it would have been a beautiful weekend to have been outside.
Anyway...we were quite successful in completing our project lists and although I am still freaking out about everything we have left to do before we bring a baby home, we are both happy with the progress we made. AND we didn't kill each other! We worked at home together, on home improvement projects no less, and we didn't kill each other or file for divorce! We have truly matured.
Here are the things we have checked off our project list:
- Paint nursery - CHECK
- Pull carpet up in family room - CHECK
- Lay tile in basement - CHECK
- Clean laundry room - half check: all the laundry is done (except for the clothes and bath towels from the weekend) but I haven't organized the boxes yet and the tile for the foyer still lives in there
- Fold and put away all clean laundry - CHECK All eight (8) baskets full of clothes
- Organize closets - CHECK
We still have a lot left to do, but once the carpeting is installed (we should hear from them sometime this week) the rest of the list isn't urgent. At least I don't think it's urgent right now--I might feel differently tomorrow, or in 15 minutes.
And as I mentioned above, we also went out to dinner twice (one involving the most delectable of all desserts), both times with my parents. It was their 35th anniversary yesterday and we tried to take them out for dinner on Sunday, but they insisted on paying and then invited us out to dinner again last night and insisted on paying again. We obviously need to sharpen up on our 'grab the check' skills; but they did tell us to put that money towards baby items, so I guess it all works out. (?)
Oh, and D also made me scrambled eggs with ham and cheese on both Sunday and Monday. Love.
I hope you all had lovely weekends and found time to RELAX!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Comparing Baby Bumps
Zimm and I went out for dinner (with our husbands) on Friday night. We hadn't seen each other since early June, so it was fun to gawk at each other's pregnant bellies. Zimm is due October 15--only 2 1/2 weeks before me!
Awww...aren't we cute?
We'll have to pose for this picture again in a few weeks.
And this is me back at around 20 weeks (I'm about 29 weeks in the pictures above)--I couldn't imagine getting any bigger than that and now I can barely see the bump at all!
Awww...aren't we cute?
We'll have to pose for this picture again in a few weeks.
And this is me back at around 20 weeks (I'm about 29 weeks in the pictures above)--I couldn't imagine getting any bigger than that and now I can barely see the bump at all!Thursday, August 14, 2008
Recently Out Of My Mouth
I actually said "nucking futs" the other day. It was in the context of telling Q she was driving me crazy.
D and I recently had a conversation about my ever-changing body. I told him that he needed to tell me once I started to waddle--I need to be aware of this--and that he should try to make it a compliment. Something along the lines of, "Wow, I've never seen a sexier walk in my life!" would do just fine.
A piece of black licorice taffy went from my mouth into the garbage. Why is black licorice taffy white? I thought it was coconut or something sweet, I was not expecting licorice. Yuck!
D and I recently had a conversation about my ever-changing body. I told him that he needed to tell me once I started to waddle--I need to be aware of this--and that he should try to make it a compliment. Something along the lines of, "Wow, I've never seen a sexier walk in my life!" would do just fine.
A piece of black licorice taffy went from my mouth into the garbage. Why is black licorice taffy white? I thought it was coconut or something sweet, I was not expecting licorice. Yuck!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Nesting And Such
I'm just over 28 weeks pregnant (less than 12 weeks to go!)--seems like the perfect time to rip our house apart, doesn't it?
We've known for a long time that once we were expecting we would need to re-carpet the (former wedding room turned dog kennel) nursery and decided it would be the perfect time to also re-carpet our bedroom. We also knew that with two large dogs and a muddy/sandy backyard, the longer we waited the cleaner the carpet would ultimately be for BP08's homecoming.
Well, now it's time. We picked out carpeting for our bedroom and Audrey's room last week. After much conversation and budget review (and finding AWESOME top of the line carpeting at a great price) we decided to also re-carpet the family room in the basement. But along with that project comes other projects.
We always wanted to tile the 'entry' to the family room as it is directly off the stairs from our foyer and we traipse up and down those stairs and in and out of the bowling closet and laundry room with our shoes on most of the time. We would like to have an easy clean surface because of this. We decided long ago that we would tile that area at the same time we re-carpeted the family room. Awesome--that time is NOW. Plus, we already have tile in the foyer and we want the tile to match. (The existing foyer tile is UG-LY.) OK, add that to the list. And we want heated tile. I mean, if we're going to tile in this day and age, it might as well make use of current technology/modern conveniences, right? (Oh, and D can get the heating elements at discount.) Besides, we're already ripping up the carpeting and existing tile, so putting down the heat coils won't be that much more work when laying tile. Add that to the list too.
But what about the other projects that (kind of) need to get done before all of this carpeting and tile laying and oh yeah, BRINGING HOME THE BABY happens? The walls in the once dog kennel room need to be repainted. (We picked out Behr Song of Summer.) They also need to be patched as apparently the dogs thought they could dig out and had they been successful it would have been bad since the room is on the second floor. I also started painting our nasty dark baseboards on the first floor and need to finish that up in nursery and in our bedroom (once the carpeting is removed).
Over the weekend we washed walls in the nursery, hallways and basement. That is actually quite a work out! I also worked on clearing out the laundry room to make way for our line-drying set up for clothing and cloth diapers. D cleaned out the garage and filled up our huge garbage can with crap and dumped another load off at BIL's house. He also started pulling up carpeting in the basement as we will add that to our trash for weeks to come.
My mom asked what she could do to be helpful as we work on the house and prepare for the baby and I think my answer kind of shocked her. I asked if she could come over to deep clean our bathroom and kitchen since the strong cleaners make me sick (I've been keeping up with soap & water and Method on occasion, but I'd love to have the surfaces bleached and scrubbed). I also requested that she and my dad pull the refrigerator and oven away from the wall to clean behind them and around them as things seem to spill between the countertops and appliances. They are planning to come over a Saturday in September when I have to work to get this done. Is it weird that I'm excited about it?
Oh, and more exciting than cleaning and ordering carpet and painting and buying tile for a DIY job--we FINALLY ordered our bed frame that my parents bought us for Christmas. The delivery time should be perfect as we'll only need to take apart our Sleep Number once for both the carpeting and bed frame set up.
I think we have our work cut out for us over the next 12 weeks. And after that (or maybe before that) we'll have a BABY! Even with all of this housework, we ain't seen nothing yet when it comes to the work involved for the rest of our lives!
We've known for a long time that once we were expecting we would need to re-carpet the (former wedding room turned dog kennel) nursery and decided it would be the perfect time to also re-carpet our bedroom. We also knew that with two large dogs and a muddy/sandy backyard, the longer we waited the cleaner the carpet would ultimately be for BP08's homecoming.
Well, now it's time. We picked out carpeting for our bedroom and Audrey's room last week. After much conversation and budget review (and finding AWESOME top of the line carpeting at a great price) we decided to also re-carpet the family room in the basement. But along with that project comes other projects.
We always wanted to tile the 'entry' to the family room as it is directly off the stairs from our foyer and we traipse up and down those stairs and in and out of the bowling closet and laundry room with our shoes on most of the time. We would like to have an easy clean surface because of this. We decided long ago that we would tile that area at the same time we re-carpeted the family room. Awesome--that time is NOW. Plus, we already have tile in the foyer and we want the tile to match. (The existing foyer tile is UG-LY.) OK, add that to the list. And we want heated tile. I mean, if we're going to tile in this day and age, it might as well make use of current technology/modern conveniences, right? (Oh, and D can get the heating elements at discount.) Besides, we're already ripping up the carpeting and existing tile, so putting down the heat coils won't be that much more work when laying tile. Add that to the list too.
But what about the other projects that (kind of) need to get done before all of this carpeting and tile laying and oh yeah, BRINGING HOME THE BABY happens? The walls in the once dog kennel room need to be repainted. (We picked out Behr Song of Summer.) They also need to be patched as apparently the dogs thought they could dig out and had they been successful it would have been bad since the room is on the second floor. I also started painting our nasty dark baseboards on the first floor and need to finish that up in nursery and in our bedroom (once the carpeting is removed).
Over the weekend we washed walls in the nursery, hallways and basement. That is actually quite a work out! I also worked on clearing out the laundry room to make way for our line-drying set up for clothing and cloth diapers. D cleaned out the garage and filled up our huge garbage can with crap and dumped another load off at BIL's house. He also started pulling up carpeting in the basement as we will add that to our trash for weeks to come.
My mom asked what she could do to be helpful as we work on the house and prepare for the baby and I think my answer kind of shocked her. I asked if she could come over to deep clean our bathroom and kitchen since the strong cleaners make me sick (I've been keeping up with soap & water and Method on occasion, but I'd love to have the surfaces bleached and scrubbed). I also requested that she and my dad pull the refrigerator and oven away from the wall to clean behind them and around them as things seem to spill between the countertops and appliances. They are planning to come over a Saturday in September when I have to work to get this done. Is it weird that I'm excited about it?
Oh, and more exciting than cleaning and ordering carpet and painting and buying tile for a DIY job--we FINALLY ordered our bed frame that my parents bought us for Christmas. The delivery time should be perfect as we'll only need to take apart our Sleep Number once for both the carpeting and bed frame set up.
I think we have our work cut out for us over the next 12 weeks. And after that (or maybe before that) we'll have a BABY! Even with all of this housework, we ain't seen nothing yet when it comes to the work involved for the rest of our lives!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
ABCs Of My Morning
Appalling: Did you know a website exists to hook up people looking to have extramarital affairs? I guess a few TV networks had run ads for them and either because they received complaints from viewers or their execs poo-pooed the idea, the ads have now been cut. I won't link to this site or give you the name, but just think of a Simpson sister and Wisconsin city and you've got it.
Brilliant: So as I was listening to the above story on the radio in horror, I drove to my old office building and parked in my old ramp. Apparently I was a bit distracted. I moved office buildings last week. I'm now several blocks away from the old location in a completely different ramp. I did make it to the right office though, just a little late.
Crunchy: We registered for cloth diapers last night. (OK, I know the post title clearly states 'morning' but whatever. I sent the link to people this morning; does that count?) We are going to give it our best shot because the thought of throwing out all of those diapers makes me sick. D has agreed based on the financial aspect of it. I think we can make it work. Check out all the cute styles at PinStripes and PolkaDots.
Brilliant: So as I was listening to the above story on the radio in horror, I drove to my old office building and parked in my old ramp. Apparently I was a bit distracted. I moved office buildings last week. I'm now several blocks away from the old location in a completely different ramp. I did make it to the right office though, just a little late.
Crunchy: We registered for cloth diapers last night. (OK, I know the post title clearly states 'morning' but whatever. I sent the link to people this morning; does that count?) We are going to give it our best shot because the thought of throwing out all of those diapers makes me sick. D has agreed based on the financial aspect of it. I think we can make it work. Check out all the cute styles at PinStripes and PolkaDots.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Blubbering Mess
You've probably seen it elsewhere, but I just had to post it here as well. Here is the video of Christian - the lion that reunites with his humans years after living wild in Africa.
Do you remember Born Free? Turns out that George Adamson, husband of Joy Adamson, introduced Christian into the wild. Perhaps that's him in the video? You can read the Today Show blurb here.
Do you remember Born Free? Turns out that George Adamson, husband of Joy Adamson, introduced Christian into the wild. Perhaps that's him in the video? You can read the Today Show blurb here.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Up To Speed
So it's been awhile since I've updated. I have a really good reason, I promise! Oh, wait--no I don't, I'm just a slacker. But, the anonyposter below saved my blog from becoming a ghost town with that hilarious contribution--THANK YOU!
What have I been up to? Hmmm...I feel like all I do is work, but in truth there is a lot going on. For instance, my brother recently turned 25. He's my younger brother--I feel old. We celebrated at Texas Roadhouse, but we did not make him get on the saddle. We found out that BP08 is 100% girl and also has LONG legs. I guess she will take after D. He believes she will be taller than me by 5th grade. Sheesh! Oh, and her heart (the real reason for the extra ultrasound) looks healthy. Yay! D also tried out muscle relaxers and heavy-duty pain meds for the first time. No worries, it was not by choice and he's off them now, but he hurt his back and couldn't move the entire weekend of the 4th of July. Um, no fireworks for us:( We also completed a baby registry. This went much better than when we registered for our wedding and we both came out of the store alive. Don't get me wrong, baby registries still completely confuse and overwhelm me, but I think we figured most of it out! What else? Oh, we're going to the 3M Championship this weekend!
It appears that I have done more than just work.
What have I been up to? Hmmm...I feel like all I do is work, but in truth there is a lot going on. For instance, my brother recently turned 25. He's my younger brother--I feel old. We celebrated at Texas Roadhouse, but we did not make him get on the saddle. We found out that BP08 is 100% girl and also has LONG legs. I guess she will take after D. He believes she will be taller than me by 5th grade. Sheesh! Oh, and her heart (the real reason for the extra ultrasound) looks healthy. Yay! D also tried out muscle relaxers and heavy-duty pain meds for the first time. No worries, it was not by choice and he's off them now, but he hurt his back and couldn't move the entire weekend of the 4th of July. Um, no fireworks for us:( We also completed a baby registry. This went much better than when we registered for our wedding and we both came out of the store alive. Don't get me wrong, baby registries still completely confuse and overwhelm me, but I think we figured most of it out! What else? Oh, we're going to the 3M Championship this weekend!
It appears that I have done more than just work.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Blog Share: July Edition
Today's post is part of Blog Share--a great and wonderful anonymous posting project organized by -R-! While this post was written by an anonymous blogger, I have a post out on the Internet somewhere as well. Enjoy!
The spam-catching program has caught many emails on my behalf. In quotes are some of the more interesting subject lines. Beneath them are my responses.
"We caught you naked in the shower."
Yes, you did. Well played sirs, well played. After assaulting the manager at your Subway franchise for not cleaning the jalapeno peppers properly, I attempted to flee. Unfortunately, I stowed some of the offending veggies in my pants during my hasty retreat. The "heat"caught up with me mere blocks from my home. I thought I could wash the oils from my clothing and body by remaining dressed during the shower, but had to discard my clothing on 1st avenue. You found me. You win.
"Say No to ED!"
I will! I can't stand that he demands that his entire name be spelled in capital letters. How pretentious!
"Reasons for falling hard and fast?"
Please remove from envelope and discard into trash.
"Want to beat your neighbours in love marathon?"
Do you mean my Canadian neighbors? If the marathon is in Toronto, no. Montreal? Absolutely. Moosejaw? I'll get back to you.
The spam-catching program has caught many emails on my behalf. In quotes are some of the more interesting subject lines. Beneath them are my responses.
"We caught you naked in the shower."
Yes, you did. Well played sirs, well played. After assaulting the manager at your Subway franchise for not cleaning the jalapeno peppers properly, I attempted to flee. Unfortunately, I stowed some of the offending veggies in my pants during my hasty retreat. The "heat"caught up with me mere blocks from my home. I thought I could wash the oils from my clothing and body by remaining dressed during the shower, but had to discard my clothing on 1st avenue. You found me. You win.
"Say No to ED!"
I will! I can't stand that he demands that his entire name be spelled in capital letters. How pretentious!
"Reasons for falling hard and fast?"
- Losing consciousness when diving into a pool.
- Tying a boulder to your leg and jumping off an overpass when testing whether two objects of different weights will descend at the same rate.
- Jumping out of a girlfriend's window when aroused and being pursued by her husband.
Please remove from envelope and discard into trash.
"Want to beat your neighbours in love marathon?"
Do you mean my Canadian neighbors? If the marathon is in Toronto, no. Montreal? Absolutely. Moosejaw? I'll get back to you.
Blog Share Participants
Vent Vox
Turn On The Stars
Trudie - Life After AC
Swimming With Sharks
Stefanie Says
Shhh! Librarian-In-Training
Sauntering Soul
Sass Attack
Reflections in the Snow Covered Hills
Red Red Whine
Our Simplicity
One New Duck
Oh My Seven
The Occasional Truth
No Lady
Nancy Pearl Wannabe
Muse On Vacation
Messing With Texas
Melliferous Pants
Lizland
Live Work Dream
Just Below 63
Jonniker
Java Literally
Heidikins
Full of Snark
Face Down
Ex Everything
Everything I Like Causes Cancer
Did I Say That Outloud?
The Daily Tannenbaum
The Coconut Diaries
Citystreams
Catheroominations
Bright Yellow World
Breath Smiles Tears
And You Know What Else
Alyndabear
3 Carnations
Turn On The Stars
Trudie - Life After AC
Swimming With Sharks
Stefanie Says
Shhh! Librarian-In-Training
Sauntering Soul
Sass Attack
Reflections in the Snow Covered Hills
Red Red Whine
Our Simplicity
One New Duck
Oh My Seven
The Occasional Truth
No Lady
Nancy Pearl Wannabe
Muse On Vacation
Messing With Texas
Melliferous Pants
Lizland
Live Work Dream
Just Below 63
Jonniker
Java Literally
Heidikins
Full of Snark
Face Down
Ex Everything
Everything I Like Causes Cancer
Did I Say That Outloud?
The Daily Tannenbaum
The Coconut Diaries
Citystreams
Catheroominations
Bright Yellow World
Breath Smiles Tears
And You Know What Else
Alyndabear
3 Carnations
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Four & Nine
On this day in
1999: D and I were on our first date. I wore a black tank with jeans and D had on a sweater vest--BY ITSELF! He really needed my help. We ate deep dish at Davanni's and drove around the rest of the night talking. I didn't get home until 3 a.m.
2000: I bowled in a junior tournament and we went to the Lynx game (D won court side seats earlier in the week). We shared Papa John's pizza (when it was still served in the Target Center) with Steve-O and Jay.
2004: We tied the knot!
2005: D convinced me to cancel our reservation to Saji Ya in favor of "authentic Italian cuisine", or Olive Garden. We enjoyed our favorite dessert (Raspberry Cream Torte) at Cafe Latte and enjoyed the gorgeous weather walking up and down Summit Avenue. We ended the evening watching fireworks from Cathedral Hill. 
2006 & 2007: We both worked. Our romantic evening consisted of ordering in pizza and watching movies. I think we fell asleep on the couch both years.
1999: D and I were on our first date. I wore a black tank with jeans and D had on a sweater vest--BY ITSELF! He really needed my help. We ate deep dish at Davanni's and drove around the rest of the night talking. I didn't get home until 3 a.m.
2000: I bowled in a junior tournament and we went to the Lynx game (D won court side seats earlier in the week). We shared Papa John's pizza (when it was still served in the Target Center) with Steve-O and Jay.
2004: We tied the knot!
2005: D convinced me to cancel our reservation to Saji Ya in favor of "authentic Italian cuisine", or Olive Garden. We enjoyed our favorite dessert (Raspberry Cream Torte) at Cafe Latte and enjoyed the gorgeous weather walking up and down Summit Avenue. We ended the evening watching fireworks from Cathedral Hill. 
2006 & 2007: We both worked. Our romantic evening consisted of ordering in pizza and watching movies. I think we fell asleep on the couch both years.2008: We are both working today. Tonight we will eat out, but probably some place casual with tasty food.
Next year will be our 5 and 10, so we're hoping to be able to find a babysitter (gasp! we'll be parents!) and enjoy a nice evening together.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Because I Won't Actually Spend The Money
If I had cash burning a hole in my pocket, I would probably pick up a few of these, but I do not, and I really don't wear T-shirts all that often, so I guess I will just keep them in my blog closet for now. All Ts available at CafePress.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Thanks For Sharing
D and I are hoping to get away for a long weekend this summer. In preparation for that yet-to-be-determined date and destination, I'm looking at hotel reviews for some of our options. People write the most interesting things in their reviews; I hope that the Internet really does provide some of them anonymity. Here are just a few examples:
"NameOfHotel is magical. My wife and girlfriend enjoy the comfy beds. Thanks NameOfHotel for recognizing me with two aliases!"
"When we asked where we could find a postage stamp the person at the front desk said she did not have a clue."
"Not a place to go if you want to be alone and sex."
"The staff was awesome anything you needed they could help you with, my eyeglasses were broken and I asked them where I could repair them. One of the persons working at the front desk said he could repair them, and he did! Wow! That was very impressive."
"How anyone considers this a family or romantic vacation destination is beyond me."
"When I explained that the place was discriminating against people with vision impairments, the manager stated: 'We aren't concerned with that. We care about the safety of our other guests.'"
"The initial impression walking into the door was a smell of 30 years of cigarettes and three-week-old beer cans."
"The towel are always warm."
Thank you, Reviewers! I will take your comments into consideration. Or not. Hopefully D and I will decide on a time and place--a little vacay would be nice right now.
"NameOfHotel is magical. My wife and girlfriend enjoy the comfy beds. Thanks NameOfHotel for recognizing me with two aliases!"
"When we asked where we could find a postage stamp the person at the front desk said she did not have a clue."
"Not a place to go if you want to be alone and sex."
"The staff was awesome anything you needed they could help you with, my eyeglasses were broken and I asked them where I could repair them. One of the persons working at the front desk said he could repair them, and he did! Wow! That was very impressive."
"How anyone considers this a family or romantic vacation destination is beyond me."
"When I explained that the place was discriminating against people with vision impairments, the manager stated: 'We aren't concerned with that. We care about the safety of our other guests.'"
"The initial impression walking into the door was a smell of 30 years of cigarettes and three-week-old beer cans."
"The towel are always warm."
Thank you, Reviewers! I will take your comments into consideration. Or not. Hopefully D and I will decide on a time and place--a little vacay would be nice right now.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Everything Is So Dang Cute
My first baby purchase:
What? You thought it would be something practical?
I love the lavender and the flowers and the little ribbon tags. Of course, I could have made it for a 1/3 of the cost, but it was an impulse buy and I don't have any regrets.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Yay KG!
I am so happy for Garnett I can't even stand it. I'm sorry that KG needed to leave the T-wolves to win, but I'm so excited that he finally has a Championship of his own.While I didn't see the game last night, D filled me in on everything this morning. KG and Ray are his two favorite players in the league, so he was amped up for this season from the beginning; he even contemplated putting down money on the Celtics when we were in Vegas for Thanksgiving (he did not). I enjoyed the Celtics-Lakers playoffs this year and thought it was interesting that those two teams have won half the NBA Championships to date. Seeing the replay of KG thanking Minnesota this morning made me a little teary, but I'll chalk that up to hormones.
In his recap, D told me that the "Boston Three Party" (not his words, but I always liked the commercial) accomplished their goal; he thought KG was an instrumental piece and that Ray will probably go down as the best 3-point shooter of all time. I think Ray will also have a yearbook entry for "Best Calves".
Great year. Great series. Congrats, KG!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
BP08 is a
GIRL!
Dad and Grandpa Roy were right; they never wavered in their belief that there first grandchild and great grandchild would be a girl. So, while they were right, they don't get a prize (other than a beautiful granddaughter) because they didn't vote!
And the winner by drawing is -R- who will win something 'real nice.'
So onto some more details about the living being formerly known as BP08:
Dad and Grandpa Roy were right; they never wavered in their belief that there first grandchild and great grandchild would be a girl. So, while they were right, they don't get a prize (other than a beautiful granddaughter) because they didn't vote!
And the winner by drawing is -R- who will win something 'real nice.'
So onto some more details about the living being formerly known as BP08:
- D and I agreed on a name, so as promised I'm announcing it to the world so that he doesn't change his mind! Our daughter--that is still baking--has a name, and it is Audrey. Awww.
- We were able to see her kick and move around during the ultrasound yesterday, and that was pretty cool. In fact, the tech found her leg first and right away she kicked and it was one that I could feel. I discovered I'm only feeling about half of her movements at this point, though.
- D was able to feel her kick on Sunday!
- Audrey is currently weighing in at 11 ounces and that does not at all explain the weight that I have put on. I had to remind myself that I'm carrying around a lot of extra fluid; also, I'm trying not to think about my extra trips to Noodles and Taco Bell.
- Estimated due date is still November 2.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Your Guess Is As Good As Mine
Is it a boy or a girl? Hopefully we'll get to find out next Monday--unless his or her legs are crossed. :-/
So, it's a contest! Leave your guess in the comments and next Tuesday I'll give you all the answer and will draw for a winner out of the correct guesses. And you'll win something 'real nice.'
If any of you believe in old wives' tales, or have a different way of guessing the sex of in utero babes, here is some information you might like:
So, it's a contest! Leave your guess in the comments and next Tuesday I'll give you all the answer and will draw for a winner out of the correct guesses. And you'll win something 'real nice.'
If any of you believe in old wives' tales, or have a different way of guessing the sex of in utero babes, here is some information you might like:
- Heart rate: 6w4d = 155 bpm, 16w4d = 147 bpm
- Due date: November 2, 2008
- My age at conception: 28
- Baby kicks/movement: first movement detected at 15w4d, now most active in the evening hours and seems to like (or dislike) Mexican food
- Skin/hair: normal/dry (once normal/oily) and I'm breaking out like crazy
- Food Cravings: Green beans, mac & cheese, Arby's, Noodles, Chipotle, Sprite/Fresca, fruit roll-ups, hot dogs, strawberry milk
- Food Aversions: (early on) hamburgers, pizza, grapes
- Belly: at 19w3d round and all in front
Stay tuned to find out the sex and the winner of a (to be determined) prize! All guesses must be logged in comments for this post by Sunday, June 15.
Monday, June 9, 2008
This, That & Hormones
I really had a great weekend and it started early by making full use of my summer hours on Friday by driving to St. Cloud to see Zimm. Since we are both pregnant, we scheduled pre-natal massages and enjoyed an Italian lunch. We also stopped by a baby consignment shop, but we were a little too overwhelmed to purchase anything. We enjoyed our afternoon of relaxation and had fun comparing notes on our pregnancies so far. I found out that she and her husband do not plan to share the name of their little girl, so since she is due a few weeks before me I told her that if my upcoming ultrasound indicates that we are having a girl as well that she would need to take a look at my name list and let me know if there are any I should stop considering. I realize this means she is basically telling me the name of her future daughter, but I promise I will promptly forget it--or at least not mention it to anyone and act completely surprised when it is officially announced. ;)
Friday night I just slept. Apparently relaxation is very draining.
Saturday was a day of work in our house. D and Dad worked hard in the backyard cutting down trees and removing the random wetland vegetation that made its way into our yard. D's uncle worked on our air conditioner because this pregnant lady does not want to suffer through Minnesota's humid summers without some good AC. I did laundry, ran some errands and provided sustenance for the men. It's kind of nice not be able to do heavy lifting. At the end of the day, everyone was exhausted, but the progress was evident. After a LONG nap, D and I watched some TV and went to bed.
Saturday night, out of no where, I started crying. I think it was after the 4th time I got out of bed to pee and then had a hard time trying to get comfortable again with all of the pillows that needed to be rearranged and the dogs that were in the way--and I don't know, I just started crying. Initially I tried to hide that from D. He is not one of those sensitive guys. "Girly" emotions tend to freak him out and I didn't want to argue--I was tired and sore and thirsty and angry that I was thirsty for that would make me have to get up yet again to use the bathroom--but he heard me and asked what was wrong. I told him all of the above and he gently kissed my forehead and rubbed my belly. Aw. He was so sweet during a hormonal breakdown! Who is this guy?
I've generally been in good spirits lately, but this entire weekend was filled with body hating--things just aren't they way they should be; however that is. My skin hates me more than usual. My last pair of jeans are too small (which D thought was kind of cute but made me want to curl up into a ball in cry--see, hormones). I am whiter than white and there is nothing I can do about it as self-tanners are a no-no and the last time I was out in the sun I got horribly blotchy and the doc said I was lucky it faded and didn't last the entire pregnancy. The funny thing is, Thursday night I was completely in love with my baby bump and my entire figure, actually. I felt so feminine, not sexy, but very much like a woman and how for that fleeting moment, how I loved being pregnant. I don't really like it so much when all of the hormones kick in and send me in one of two directions: hopelessly crying or into psychotic rage (followed by hopelessly crying). In all fairness, my dad did warn D.
Sunday was also productive, but not nearly as productive as Saturday--we were both way too wiped out to continue at that pace! We brought the dogs to the groomer and then my psycho bitch kicked in when D refused to go buy sheets with me. Did I mention the hormones? And this kid must be going through a growth spurt as I could.not.stop.eating all day. But I did manage to read Belly Laughs in between bites. It was cute, and an easy read. After some light housework we settled in to watch the Celtics beat the Lakers: 2 and 0 Baby! I also cried during piece on Celtics power forward, Powe. And the hormones, they continue to give.
Sunday was also a good day because D had come around to my way of thinking and has started to like one of my top baby girl names! He prefers a different middle name, but at least I still have time to work on that. And because we have almost agreed on a girl name (I hope it's not Zimm's name!), it will definitely be a boy. I don't have any mother's intuition on this one, so we'll both be surprised at our ultrasound next week!
Friday night I just slept. Apparently relaxation is very draining.
Saturday was a day of work in our house. D and Dad worked hard in the backyard cutting down trees and removing the random wetland vegetation that made its way into our yard. D's uncle worked on our air conditioner because this pregnant lady does not want to suffer through Minnesota's humid summers without some good AC. I did laundry, ran some errands and provided sustenance for the men. It's kind of nice not be able to do heavy lifting. At the end of the day, everyone was exhausted, but the progress was evident. After a LONG nap, D and I watched some TV and went to bed.
Saturday night, out of no where, I started crying. I think it was after the 4th time I got out of bed to pee and then had a hard time trying to get comfortable again with all of the pillows that needed to be rearranged and the dogs that were in the way--and I don't know, I just started crying. Initially I tried to hide that from D. He is not one of those sensitive guys. "Girly" emotions tend to freak him out and I didn't want to argue--I was tired and sore and thirsty and angry that I was thirsty for that would make me have to get up yet again to use the bathroom--but he heard me and asked what was wrong. I told him all of the above and he gently kissed my forehead and rubbed my belly. Aw. He was so sweet during a hormonal breakdown! Who is this guy?
I've generally been in good spirits lately, but this entire weekend was filled with body hating--things just aren't they way they should be; however that is. My skin hates me more than usual. My last pair of jeans are too small (which D thought was kind of cute but made me want to curl up into a ball in cry--see, hormones). I am whiter than white and there is nothing I can do about it as self-tanners are a no-no and the last time I was out in the sun I got horribly blotchy and the doc said I was lucky it faded and didn't last the entire pregnancy. The funny thing is, Thursday night I was completely in love with my baby bump and my entire figure, actually. I felt so feminine, not sexy, but very much like a woman and how for that fleeting moment, how I loved being pregnant. I don't really like it so much when all of the hormones kick in and send me in one of two directions: hopelessly crying or into psychotic rage (followed by hopelessly crying). In all fairness, my dad did warn D.
Sunday was also productive, but not nearly as productive as Saturday--we were both way too wiped out to continue at that pace! We brought the dogs to the groomer and then my psycho bitch kicked in when D refused to go buy sheets with me. Did I mention the hormones? And this kid must be going through a growth spurt as I could.not.stop.eating all day. But I did manage to read Belly Laughs in between bites. It was cute, and an easy read. After some light housework we settled in to watch the Celtics beat the Lakers: 2 and 0 Baby! I also cried during piece on Celtics power forward, Powe. And the hormones, they continue to give.
Sunday was also a good day because D had come around to my way of thinking and has started to like one of my top baby girl names! He prefers a different middle name, but at least I still have time to work on that. And because we have almost agreed on a girl name (I hope it's not Zimm's name!), it will definitely be a boy. I don't have any mother's intuition on this one, so we'll both be surprised at our ultrasound next week!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
PUPPIES!
Last night was quite possibly the most fun I have ever had volunteering at the Animal Humane Society--I arrived at 6 p.m. and was surprised that there were FIVE puppies for me to play with!
Rayna
Mona
Heidi
Hank
Frilly
Monday, June 2, 2008
When Summer Hours Are A Bad Thing
Today is my first day of summer hours, meaning half day Fridays--Yay! Some people shudder when thinking of 9 hour work days, but honestly, I'm here almost 9 hours on a regular work day because D and I carpool so at least this way I get a little reward each week.
With two hours left of my first elongated work day, I went off to the student union for some good old Sbux. Ummm...you know when summer hours suck? When it's 2:30 p.m. and you need a little pick-me-up and the Sbux at the student union is closed. Summer hours for Sbux: 7 a.m. - 2 p.m. Hello!?! Pregnant lady here! Craving tall, nonfat, half-caff vanilla latte! WTF?
Instead of indulging my craving, I headed over to the book store for a Cherry Coke, animal crackers and a grape fruit leather. This is not as exciting--or HOT--as my originally intended treat, but frosted animal crackers sure are tasty!
With two hours left of my first elongated work day, I went off to the student union for some good old Sbux. Ummm...you know when summer hours suck? When it's 2:30 p.m. and you need a little pick-me-up and the Sbux at the student union is closed. Summer hours for Sbux: 7 a.m. - 2 p.m. Hello!?! Pregnant lady here! Craving tall, nonfat, half-caff vanilla latte! WTF?
Instead of indulging my craving, I headed over to the book store for a Cherry Coke, animal crackers and a grape fruit leather. This is not as exciting--or HOT--as my originally intended treat, but frosted animal crackers sure are tasty!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Liar
I had the best of intentions--Really! I was going to post about my birthday and the lovely four day weekend and random baby related things, and then...and then I got sidetracked.
D surprised me on my b-day and brought me breakfast in bed. Aw. After watching something on DVR, we went to work out. We also saw Harrison's new blockbuster and I simply cannot wait until July 18 to see the other big movie of the summer. (And I know there are other big movies, but that is the one I am waiting for.) Because our new favorite movie theater is at a mall, we did some shopping to let the nachos digest before heading to Big Bowl for dinner. Yum. Once home, we collapsed in bed because apparently that is a really big day for us.
And my four days off: Fantastic. I spent most of the time being a lazy bum, but also got out of the house to shop for maternity clothes. I can't find anything I like. Plus, most of them are still too big for me even though my clothes are too small. I need a happy medium. So I've resorted to wearing empire waist dresses and T-shirts that are too tight. I simply adore my Bella Band, though.
Oh, and I found out that Zimm is having a girl! She is due October 15. And my friend Lisha is due December 2. And -R-, of course, is due about the same time that I am! I know so many pregnant ladies!
I think that wraps up this update.
D surprised me on my b-day and brought me breakfast in bed. Aw. After watching something on DVR, we went to work out. We also saw Harrison's new blockbuster and I simply cannot wait until July 18 to see the other big movie of the summer. (And I know there are other big movies, but that is the one I am waiting for.) Because our new favorite movie theater is at a mall, we did some shopping to let the nachos digest before heading to Big Bowl for dinner. Yum. Once home, we collapsed in bed because apparently that is a really big day for us.
And my four days off: Fantastic. I spent most of the time being a lazy bum, but also got out of the house to shop for maternity clothes. I can't find anything I like. Plus, most of them are still too big for me even though my clothes are too small. I need a happy medium. So I've resorted to wearing empire waist dresses and T-shirts that are too tight. I simply adore my Bella Band, though.
Oh, and I found out that Zimm is having a girl! She is due October 15. And my friend Lisha is due December 2. And -R-, of course, is due about the same time that I am! I know so many pregnant ladies!
I think that wraps up this update.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
The Big Announcement
Dear Internet: I'm pregnant.
So, those of you that knew, you can now admit to knowing what you know. Those of you that didn't know, sorry, I had to get around to telling some people before I could let you know--and I might have tried to tell some of you IRL, but you cancelled plans on me to, you know, find a place to live since you need to vacate your SOLD home in a few weeks. You know who you are.
So, on with the news:
So, those of you that knew, you can now admit to knowing what you know. Those of you that didn't know, sorry, I had to get around to telling some people before I could let you know--and I might have tried to tell some of you IRL, but you cancelled plans on me to, you know, find a place to live since you need to vacate your SOLD home in a few weeks. You know who you are.
So, on with the news:
- I'm 16 weeks along. For those of you that don't count your life in weeks, that means 4 months.
- Estimated Due Date = November 2
- D and I are both very excited.
- Yes, we were trying. No, we didn't tell anyone that we were trying--so if you're surprised, you're not alone.
- I found out the day that I started my new job.
- I told D .23 seconds later by calling him into the bathroom to look at a pee stick by the sink. It was tres romantique.
- I only had 1 or 2 days of nausea. That sounds wonderful and all, but I was constantly convinced that something was wrong because I was without symptoms. I did, however, get every virus that family, co-workers and strangers on the street had, so that was tons of fun.
- We plan to find out the gender of the baby and to share that information. That appointment will most likely be in the middle of June.
- We plan to share the name of the baby once we decide on it. We will not ask for input on the name and your opinion will not change our minds.
- This weekend I started to look more pregnant and less lumpy.
- I felt the first official movement last Wednesday night (5/14) but didn't believe it until I felt it again on Sunday (5/18). BP08 likes (or doesn't like?) Mexican food!
- We are referring to the baby as BP08; you may or may not get where that comes from but it is of absolutely no importance so don't worry. :)
- Not only have I been neglecting this dear blog because I have been busy with work and sick, but also because every time I had the opportunity to write, all I could think to write about was the baby that I had not yet told you about. I will work hard to continue updating and not become only a baby blog, but no promises and hey--aren't baby posts better than no posts at all?
Monday, May 19, 2008
Four Monday
Ummm...today I find last Friday's flower picture a bit disturbing and scary. Just FYI.
And today--today I am shamelessly steeling the idea of a four-themed-meme from L Sass (although it is a slightly different one I received via email from Mom):
Four things I did 10 years ago (1998):
1. Won my first MJBT (scratch singles bowling tournament).
2. Saw the end of my first real relationship that started when I was 16. It ended in the fall of 1997, but the heartbreak continued well into 1998, as did the transition into friendship. The friendship later had to end because it became unhealthy on all sides, but I still treasure the lessons learned from the entire experience.
3. Had 11 shots of cheap vodka, attempted to prove I was sober by counting to 10 (went something like 1-2-3...major time delay...7-8-9...), woke up puking and chugged 2 liters of water, went back to sleep and awoke to have eggs for breakfast. Looking back, I feel somewhat lucky to be alive and also very stupid.
4. Took a job at Dayton's and proceeded to accrue tons of credit card debt.
Four things I did 5 years ago (2003):
1. Got engaged!!! (May 16, to be exact)
2. Quit LTF (so glad to be back now!) but was still in the best shape of my adult life thanks to daily lunch hour walks and my now discontinued orange/pineapple lactose free SlimFast. (Now I work out and actually eat healthy and still cannot get back to that fitness level--getting old really does suck.)
3. Attended at least 7 weddings between spring and fall.
4. Bought a house with D and spent 2 months fixing it up before moving in.
Four things I did 1 year ago (2007):
1. Celebrated a new promotion in Development (May 14).
2. Had a surprise party for D's 30th birthday.
3. Missed my 10 year reunion for high school, but attended D's and decided missing mine wasn't all bad.
4. Spend a week in Paris with Mom. It was a fantastic vacation that I had wanted to take for years and all the pieces finally fell into place. I'm glad to have shared that experience with my mom and hope that next time we can convince D and Dad to come along.
Four things I did yesterday:
1. Watched my dad compete in a bowling tournament because that's what we do--if one of us isn't bowling, we watch whichever family member is. At least the bowling centers are smoke free now.
2. Went shopping for sundresses and discovered that summer dresses are really not office-appropriate.
3. Put clean sheets on the bed--we do this often, but how I love sleeping wrapped in clean sheets.
4. Ate dinner with my family in early celebration of my first 29th birthday. And I'm excited to have my leftovers for lunch today!
And today--today I am shamelessly steeling the idea of a four-themed-meme from L Sass (although it is a slightly different one I received via email from Mom):
Four things I did 10 years ago (1998):
1. Won my first MJBT (scratch singles bowling tournament).
2. Saw the end of my first real relationship that started when I was 16. It ended in the fall of 1997, but the heartbreak continued well into 1998, as did the transition into friendship. The friendship later had to end because it became unhealthy on all sides, but I still treasure the lessons learned from the entire experience.
3. Had 11 shots of cheap vodka, attempted to prove I was sober by counting to 10 (went something like 1-2-3...major time delay...7-8-9...), woke up puking and chugged 2 liters of water, went back to sleep and awoke to have eggs for breakfast. Looking back, I feel somewhat lucky to be alive and also very stupid.
4. Took a job at Dayton's and proceeded to accrue tons of credit card debt.
Four things I did 5 years ago (2003):
1. Got engaged!!! (May 16, to be exact)
2. Quit LTF (so glad to be back now!) but was still in the best shape of my adult life thanks to daily lunch hour walks and my now discontinued orange/pineapple lactose free SlimFast. (Now I work out and actually eat healthy and still cannot get back to that fitness level--getting old really does suck.)
3. Attended at least 7 weddings between spring and fall.
4. Bought a house with D and spent 2 months fixing it up before moving in.
Four things I did 1 year ago (2007):
1. Celebrated a new promotion in Development (May 14).
2. Had a surprise party for D's 30th birthday.
3. Missed my 10 year reunion for high school, but attended D's and decided missing mine wasn't all bad.
4. Spend a week in Paris with Mom. It was a fantastic vacation that I had wanted to take for years and all the pieces finally fell into place. I'm glad to have shared that experience with my mom and hope that next time we can convince D and Dad to come along.
Four things I did yesterday:
1. Watched my dad compete in a bowling tournament because that's what we do--if one of us isn't bowling, we watch whichever family member is. At least the bowling centers are smoke free now.
2. Went shopping for sundresses and discovered that summer dresses are really not office-appropriate.
3. Put clean sheets on the bed--we do this often, but how I love sleeping wrapped in clean sheets.
4. Ate dinner with my family in early celebration of my first 29th birthday. And I'm excited to have my leftovers for lunch today!
Friday, May 16, 2008
Needed Some Color
Because it's Friday and it's Spring.
I really don't care how digitally altered this picture is--it's kind of pretty and certainly unique.
I promise I will start posting more next week.**picture courtesy of a forwarded email
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Working On Saturday Sucks
I am preparing for a two day fundraising event that happens next weekend. I have been working long hours for weeks now with my two co-workers and I can tell you that although getting to the office when it's dark and leaving the office when it's dark sucks, it also really sucks when you have to come to the office on a weekend and it's sunny out. Boo! to long hours of work, but Yay! to comp time!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
The Crud
I just need to whine. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. (Is that how the saying goes?)
I've been sick off and on for 5 weeks and I've had enough. I know there is some terrible stuff going around and a lot of people are in the same boat, but I just want to be done with it. I want to sleep through the night without coughing. I want to function with a clear head. I want my normal energy level back. I've been to the doctor 3 times; it's just a virus--a cold, the crud. I hope you're not suffering from it, but if you are, I hope we all recover soon!
I've been sick off and on for 5 weeks and I've had enough. I know there is some terrible stuff going around and a lot of people are in the same boat, but I just want to be done with it. I want to sleep through the night without coughing. I want to function with a clear head. I want my normal energy level back. I've been to the doctor 3 times; it's just a virus--a cold, the crud. I hope you're not suffering from it, but if you are, I hope we all recover soon!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Truce
In 7th grade I thought I was quite the prankster. No, I never did the saran wrap on the toilet or rubber band around the kitchen sink sprayer, but I did play a mighty fine April Fools' Day joke on my dad; and from this I gained first hand experience as to why you never pick a fight with someone bigger, smarter or more ruthless than you.
It all started with a mid-day phone call to Dad's office. Jan, his secretary, told me that he was out to lunch but that he had his cell phone on him (yes, my dad had a cell phone--a huge, lug it around in a suit case cell phone--in 1991). I had built up the courage to make the initial phone call, so I wasn't about to stop there...I dialed his cell phone from the main office at my middle school. When he answered, I delivered the news that I had been expelled or suspended (I can't remember which as neither of them seems at all believable to me know) and that he needed to pick me up from school immediately. I must have been fairly convincing as he said he was on his way.
I hung up and had a hardy laugh with a friend who was planning to play the same trick on her mom. I don't really know where we came up with this idea or why we thought it was funny, but at the time it was hilarious. After the laugh, I called my dad back to say "April Fools!" He was not laughing. He just left a client at lunch. I was in T-R-O-U-B-L-E.
Nothing really came of my prank. I think he said that I had him and he was glad I called back within a short time frame. I think he also said something along the lines of 'pay back is a bitch' but he may or may not have actually said 'bitch'; I can't recall.
A year went by.
In 8th grade I got braces. I actually liked having braces as it made me feel older--and got me out of school for check-ups. In March my mom took me to the orthodontist and my next appointment happened to be scheduled on April 1. My mom scheduled it; I thought nothing of it. As April Fools' Day drew nearer, I asked my dad if he had planned his revenge--he said he had a few things he was thinking about, but nothing was planned yet.
The morning on my ortho appointment, my mom could no longer take me and my dad took me to the office instead. The whole way there I was skeptical, I kept questioning him about what he was going to have them do to me. His response was that my orthodontist was a busy person and it was a professional office--how would he ever convince them to help him play a joke on me? He's in sales--he's very convincing.
My appointment was very routine: assistants coming in and out and changing my bands and tightening brackets and then the orthodontist came in. It was an X-ray appointment. He reviewed them and said that I wasn't making the kind of progress he had hoped for. The assistant came in with some kind of contraption...he explained that it was Reverse-Pull Head Gear and that I needed to wear it 24 hours a day for a month and then we would re-evaluate my progress. As the assistant fitted me I tried to negotiate: only at night for 2 months--3 months--an entire year! No. No. No.
It all started with a mid-day phone call to Dad's office. Jan, his secretary, told me that he was out to lunch but that he had his cell phone on him (yes, my dad had a cell phone--a huge, lug it around in a suit case cell phone--in 1991). I had built up the courage to make the initial phone call, so I wasn't about to stop there...I dialed his cell phone from the main office at my middle school. When he answered, I delivered the news that I had been expelled or suspended (I can't remember which as neither of them seems at all believable to me know) and that he needed to pick me up from school immediately. I must have been fairly convincing as he said he was on his way.
I hung up and had a hardy laugh with a friend who was planning to play the same trick on her mom. I don't really know where we came up with this idea or why we thought it was funny, but at the time it was hilarious. After the laugh, I called my dad back to say "April Fools!" He was not laughing. He just left a client at lunch. I was in T-R-O-U-B-L-E.
Nothing really came of my prank. I think he said that I had him and he was glad I called back within a short time frame. I think he also said something along the lines of 'pay back is a bitch' but he may or may not have actually said 'bitch'; I can't recall.
A year went by.
In 8th grade I got braces. I actually liked having braces as it made me feel older--and got me out of school for check-ups. In March my mom took me to the orthodontist and my next appointment happened to be scheduled on April 1. My mom scheduled it; I thought nothing of it. As April Fools' Day drew nearer, I asked my dad if he had planned his revenge--he said he had a few things he was thinking about, but nothing was planned yet.
The morning on my ortho appointment, my mom could no longer take me and my dad took me to the office instead. The whole way there I was skeptical, I kept questioning him about what he was going to have them do to me. His response was that my orthodontist was a busy person and it was a professional office--how would he ever convince them to help him play a joke on me? He's in sales--he's very convincing.
My appointment was very routine: assistants coming in and out and changing my bands and tightening brackets and then the orthodontist came in. It was an X-ray appointment. He reviewed them and said that I wasn't making the kind of progress he had hoped for. The assistant came in with some kind of contraption...he explained that it was Reverse-Pull Head Gear and that I needed to wear it 24 hours a day for a month and then we would re-evaluate my progress. As the assistant fitted me I tried to negotiate: only at night for 2 months--3 months--an entire year! No. No. No.
They handed me a mirror and tears were streaming down my face. The office was silent. My dad leaned over and said, "April Fools' Day." My jaw dropped (well, as far as it could with the face mask on) and I was immediately relieved. He put out his hand and offered, "Truce."
Now you may think that my dad is horrible and mean and evil and 'how could he do that to his daughter--watch her cry?' and all of that. I get it, but really, I don't think it was any worse than me calling him out of a client lunch pretending that I was in massive trouble at school. He said he didn't have this planned all along, but when the opportunity arose that morning he called the ortho office and asked if they could help him out. He didn't know what was in store, only that it would be something mortifying to a teenage girl.
So now we have a truce and a funny story. I'm glad I can let April Fools' Day come and go without worry. Any pranks you care to share?
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Jour du Musee
On this day we see how truly art-stupid we are, but how it is possible to still appreciate the beauty and take too many pictures without documenting what they are pictures of.
Our first stop of the morning was at Musee du Louvre. Of course, we came in from the nearest metro stop and so did not enter from the outside world, but rather through a tunnel. This picture was taken in the entry way under the large pyramid.
The ceiling in one of the halls. I just like it.
And more wall detail.
La Venus de Milo. I really cannot take pictures.
The Winged Victory of Samothrace. It is really awe inspiring in real life. Again, a photo just will not do.
My first glimpse of outside the Louvre.
I really like this sculpture, but apparently I didn't like it enough to capture who created it or what it was...
Viewing Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss
And really, I do not mind looking like a dork in front of other tourists. See above Psyche picture if you need more proof. It was cool to see the Monna Lisa, though.
More sculpture/carvings/architecture that we enjoyed without care as to the who and what.
In Musee de l'Orangerie with one of Monet's water-lily paintings. I was surprised they allowed photographs in here, but did not object.
Mom outside Musee d'Orsay
And me outside with a an exhibit ad to date our time at the attraction. The artwork of Bastien-Lepage was really not my style, but we enjoyed the sculptures in the museum.
From rail-way station to museum; more architecture to love.
How could this not make you happy?
And obviously I liked him enough to document the who and what! Thank you Duret for putting a smile on my face at the end of a long, but wonderful day.Tomorrow: A day of review--revisiting our favorites and taking in a few new sites.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
From Hill to Island
On our third morning in the Paris, we boarded the metro and took off for the sacred hill. With clear skies we were allowed to truly be in awe of how beautiful la Basilique du Sacre Couer de Montmartre. Pictures cannot capture how breath-taking the basilica and the view are.
From atop the hill after leaving the metro station.
After climbing the first set of stairs, which in comparison to the second set are nothing. Had we done this on day one it would not have been bad at all; after two full days of walking and climbing and walking some more, the stairs were a bit more daunting.Sorry! No cameras allowed in the basilica!
Place du Tertre. I regret not buying anything here. I found so many wonderful things, but the thought of carrying them around with me for the rest of the day did not sound appealing. Had we stayed in Paris and not at DLP (in the city next time, definitely) I would have most likely purchased something and then only had to lug it around Montmartre.
More sandwiches! This time Mom enjoyed brie and tomato, I believe I had yet another ham and provolone.
If we were truly cool, we would have bought the bottle of Absinthe on display in the window. Since I am not a drinker, and Mom enjoys only a handful of girly drinks a year, we opted not to spend the money; but we needed a picture! Also, seeing Absinthe reminded me of the Green Fairy from Moulin Rouge-the movie, and I became even more excited as we headed down to check it out for ourselves.
And here we are! It was completely different than I had imagined; but since I only had a cinema-level education, that should come as no surprise.
We did not see a show, but next time I would be interested in checking it out.
We did enjoy the paintings in the entry, though.
And to tell you that Yes! this is an official tourist stop, a helpful sign!
View from across the street. I'm next to the sign. Moulin Rouge is in D's Top Ten for movies, so I thought I should let his see the real life place in pictures.
And again, this is nothing like what I imagined, but I really knew nothing about this tourist attraction before we got there. I didn't expect that it would be on such a busy street.I must also note that as you look down the street, at the next intersection on the left, there is a bakery that makes the most wonderful almond pastries. I regret that I did not take note of the name or snap a photo to help future travellers, but seriously, awesome pastries. Every once in awhile I get a hankering for an almond pastry and after much trial and error of local shoppes, I discovered that Bread & Chocolate makes a decent representation of the real deal. It's a jaunt across town, but when the craving strikes at least it satisfies.
After a bit of a train ride back into the city and some more walking around as the metro did not stop at Cite as it said it would, we finally reached our (supposed) final destination of the day: Notre Dame de Paris.
Mom stood on Point Zero (the center of Paris) to ensure that she would return, and although there is not photographic evidence--I did the same. There will be a next time.
On the side of Notre Dame, a great photo-op minus the crowds.
Ahhh, French Gothic architecture.
As we walked around Ile de la Cite a bit more, we came upon a highly recommended ice cream shoppe. Berthillon is one of the best ice creams in Paris, or so I've been told by previous visitors and travel guides. It is sold in many restaurants, but I believe this is the original store (I could be completely wrong on this, though). I had a caramel ice cream cone, it was OK. I'm not much of an ice cream person and it was too rich for me. My mom enjoyed praline, chocolate and some-kind-of-nut ice cream very much.
After our late afternoon sugar pick-me-up, we continued walking around aimlessly. We eventually saw tourist signs pointing us toward the Pantheon. The grounds were closed when we arrived in preparation for...
A Garden for Life, A Daffodil for CurieMy quick internet search did not return results, but it was an event happening the next few days after our evening visit.
And many pools of daffodils lined the grounds.Tomorrow: Museum Day!
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