Reflections of Domestication

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2011-02-18T13:11:00.000-08:00

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Our Own Romantic Comedy

2011-02-14T14:37:00.000-08:00

While I'm not typically a fan of Valentine's Day, I do find myself thinking about The Hunk even more than usual today, especially since it reminds me of a funny story.

Three Valentine's Days ago, The Hunk and I were just a few months into our relationship. He was out of town at a client visit, but he was coming back later that night. Since I knew he'd be tired, I offered to cook him dinner, and I even went so far as to say he could bring some laundry over and I'd wash it for him. (I know, right?! I was definitely in the mood to impress.) He thought that was pretty silly of me to offer.

Anyway, we had a nice dinner at my place, and I'd gotten flowers at work earlier in the day.

But this post doesn't even really have anything to do with Valentine's Day. Really, it's more about clothing and laundry and the lengths that some will go to prove a point.

I've posted before about how my husband's wardrobe far surpasses that of my own. I may have even mentioned the fact that he doesn't even wear at least 2/3 of what is hanging in the closet. His excuse when we first moved in together back in the summer of 2008 was that the shirts needed to be ironed. I said I'd do it, but he protested.

Fast forward to this past fall. I FINALLY got sick of looking at his side of the closet and took down all of those shirts. I washed, dried, and ironed all of them. I counted 20-something. (I can't remember the exact number.) Since then, my friends, he has worn maybe 4 of them. That leaves at least 20 shirts that he STILL hasn't worn since I've known him.

It's funny, this little story. Why? Because either way, we both win. Now that he hasn't worn them, I can say "I told you so." But he wins, too, because I did all that work for nothing and he can laugh about it. Had he been wearing the shirts, I still would have won because all that work would have been worth something instead of being an almost-waste of time. And he'd be winning still because he'd have tripled the number of shirts he wears regularly.

The reason I share this anecdote is to illustrate how funny our life together can be sometimes. I normally despise romantic comedies and refuse to watch them, unless it is "Serendipity", "The Notebook", or "Elizabethtown" (Heath Ledger looked darn hot in that movie, don't you think? May he RIP....), but I really love being right along side him, laughing at every turn we take. From the day we drunkenly said "I love you" on New Year's (I still don't know who said it first, though I suppose that doesn't matter) to the day I rode to my wedding ceremony running 15 minutes late while listening to "Eye of the Tiger", we find humor in our every day situations.

Oh, and let us not forget him backing into the neigbor's trailer on our way out to our anniversary date.... (Man, that makes me snort every time I think about it.)

How's THAT for romantic comedy?

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.

Until next time,
MFW

February Resolution Check

2011-02-04T13:04:00.000-08:00

We're just over halfway into the first week of a new month! How's everyone coming on their 2011 Goals/Resolutions? I, for one, have some work to do.

Here's an update on my progress (or lack thereof in some cases) thus far.

HEALTH

1. Drop BMI by 3%.

I haven't been doing well with working out over the last month. However, I've fnished up some very large projects at work and have re-committed myself to this goal. I started up P90X again last Friday and made it through week 1 with a smile on my face (and a groan as my muscles ache while I try to walk up and down stairs).

2. Run a 5k.

I haven't been keeping up with the Couch to 5k program after the second week. I may need to start bringing workout clothes to work and doing these three workouts during the week on my lunch break. That's a lot of working out if you add in the P90X workouts! Whew, I'm tired just thinking about it!!

3. Maintain a consistently healthy diet

HAHAHAHA! I am doing better at this, but I'm still a work in progress by far in this area. We just went to Five Guys on Wednesday...whoops. However, I did turn down Chipotle Friday today. I'm ok with one terrible meal per week, although with the Superbowl coming up, Sunday has been dubbed Fry Fest II....ugh....

4. Eat lunch brought from home four days per week. Eat dinner at home 6 nights per week.

We've actually been doing pretty well at this! Score 1 for MFW!

MONEY

1. Pay off credit card.

I'm sticking to the monthly goal I've set to get this paid off on time. Score 2!

2. Stick to a budget

Still room for improvement here, too, but I did learn a lot in the month of January on different things I can do to save more money. The amount I spent on eating out in January was quite a bit less than December, so yay me!

3. Open a college savings account for 'Lil Bit and contribute $100 every month.
Contributions are automatic, so this one is super easy!

EDUCATION

1. Obtain Cisco Certified Networking Associate certification. Deadline - 1/19/11.

FAILURE. I haven't done it yet. I could whine about how crazy work has been, but I won't. New deadline - 3/15.

2. Finish my Associate's degree.

On track!

3. Obtain VMware Certified Professional certificate. Deadline - 12/31/11

Need to find a training course and get it scheduled.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

1. Write more.

Considering I haven't posted here for three weeks, it's just not a good sign. It's hard to find time to write. Sad panda.

2. Find a reliable babysitter!

The Hunk and I had our first date for the year on 1/29, which just happened to be for our first anniversary! YAY!

Checking up on these goals every month is going to be a great way to hold myself accountable. I'd love to hear about your progress, too!

The Bakon Taste Test and Deep Fried Fest

2011-01-10T13:34:00.000-08:00

Last night, CAG came over to watch some football. It's the first time he's been over since giving us the bacon-themed Christmas presents, so last night was THE night. That's right, we tried the Bakon.

The Hunk was just about giddy as he poured our samplings into three shot glasses. It was adorable. What's the first thing you do when you try a new beverage, food, perfume, or, well, almost anything? You smell it. Imagine the normal fiery vodka smell mixed with that of dog treats and you've got Bakon. At that point, I figured this was not going to be a totally pleasant experience. Still... bottoms up!

At first, it wasn't bad. You just got the taste of vodka. Then, as it settled on your taste buds, you got a one, two punch in the face of something reminiscent of what you'd imagine Beggin' Strips to taste like. I was right, less than pleasant. Luckily, I had a Diet Coke with Lime on standby (which, btw, if you haven't tried it, it's tasty, much better than Bakon).

Do you think this stopped The Hunk? Nope. He concocted a Bakon Bloody Mary of sorts. Gross. He tried to get me to taste it. He even went so far as to say that I could not legitimately blog about the experience without tasting his application of the Bakon vodka. PSHAW!

Later that night, The Hunk and CAG broke out the Butterball Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer. They fried everything they could pillage out of the freezer - chicken nuggets, tater tots, shrimp, taquitos, flautas, and egg rolls. I think there was more but that's all I can remember. I'm surprised they didn't manage to find a way to fry up some Bakon. Or bacon. Oh, no....I should not have said that. Now, The Hunk is going to read this and come home only to demand that we fry some bacon. What have I done?!

At any rate, the tots were delicious. If I ever end up in a situation where I need to declare a last meal, that's what I want. Tater tots. And tacos. And a margarita, NOT made with Bakon.

While the Bakon may have been a flop and I may have ended up with a stomach ache from consuming so much grease in a short amount of time, it sure is nice to have people to experience these things with.

Until next time,
MFW

2011 - The Year of Reinvention

2010-12-31T13:03:00.000-08:00

I've been mulling around my post from a couple of days ago, thinking and analyzing possible strategies to make 2011 a great year full of accomplishment. I've determined that the four areas of my life I'd like to focus on are Health, Money, Education, and Personal Development. Those are broad areas, and we've all heard that goals should be SMART - specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound, so here is a breakdown of goals within each area.

HEALTH

1. Drop BMI by 3%.

I'm right on the cusp of the "marginally overweight" category on BMI charts. It's so depressing and discouraging to know that I've let my health get this bad. BUT it's reversible. If I drop my BMI by 3% that will put me mid-range in the acceptable BMI category. I will attain this goal by exercising 5 days a week, at least 30 minutes each session. This goal should be complete by 3/31/11.

2. Run a 5k.

The company I work for participates in corporate challenge each year. One of the events is the 5k. I've never been a runner, but one of the things I've always wanted to do is to be healthy enough to run a 5k without stopping. The event is normally sometime in May I think, so I'm going to set my deadline for 5/31/10. Luckily, this will also help out with goal number 1. In order to help me train, I've started the Couch-to-5k Program. http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

3. Maintain a consistently healthy diet

There will be days when I want to enjoy Burger Thursday or when I need a piece of cake, but I'd really like to focus on eating more fruits and vegetables and less processed junk. To do this, I'm going to visit a dietitian a few times per year, depending on what is covered by our health insurance plan. There really isn't a deadline for this since it's something I need to maintain all the time, not just for a few months or even years. Crucial to the success of this is another goal...

4. Eat lunch brought from home four days per week. Eat dinner at home 6 nights per week.

MONEY

1. Pay off credit card.

I don't have much credit card debt, but the APR is high on what I do have. There's no reason why I cannot pay this off completely in 2011. Deadline - 12/31/11.

2. Stick to a budget

At the suggestion of a blog I follow, I spent last night checking out http://www.mint.comand have really started scrutinizing where my spending is going. I want to spend less of my money eating out and more of my money on important financial goals, like retirement, or a vacation, or financing 'Lil Bit's college education. I plan on going over my budget on a bi-weekly basis when I get paid.

3. Open a college savings account for 'Lil Bit and contribute $100 every month. This one has already been set up! YAY! The reason it's not more money is that I've got to continue to pay my own tuition costs while paying off that pesky credit card. Therefore, I'm going to start small for this year, but hey, by 12/31/11, there should be at least $1200 in her account.

EDUCATION

1. Obtain Cisco Certified Networking Associate certification. Deadline - 1/19/11. This one is coming up quickly! I'd like to finish it before I start classes in the spring semester.

2. Finish my Associate's degree. By taking three classes in the spring, one in the summer, and three again in the fall, I will be able to complete my Associate's degree in 2011. Is it going to be hard? Heck yes. But it's going to be so worth it, and I really feel it will renew my motivation to keep going for my Bachelor's degree. Deadline - 12/22/11

3. Obtain VMware Certified Professional certificate. Deadline - 12/31/11

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

1. Write more. I've got this blog right here at my fingertips that I really enjoy posting in but haven't done consistently for quite some time. My goal for 2011 is to post weekly. As a result of this, you'll be seeing a lot of changes coming up, including some themed weekly posts and such. Stay tuned!

2. Find a reliable babysitter! The Hunk and I rarely spend time together without 'Lil Bit in tow. While we love our family time, we need time together as a couple as well. Babysitter location deadline - 2/28/11. After that, we'd better be going out once a month!!

So there you have it! In order to keep tabs on these goals, I'll be checking in on the last day of each month.

Until next time,
MFW

Who says you can't have bacon for Christmas?

2010-12-29T14:38:00.000-08:00

We had such an awesome Christmas! Everyone got great gifts, and we got to spend lots of time together as a family.

You might remember that CAG (Cool Asian Guy) and The Hunk have this endearing fascination with all things bacon. Might I remind you about the Bacon Explosion?

And the red velvet bacon cupcakes?

CAG and The Hunk also went to Bacon Fest this summer, but they were silly and didn't take any photos. At any rate, the point has been made - we love bacon.

Therefore, it was only fitting that CAG give the three of us bacon-themed Christmas gifts!

Be jealous.

That's right, Bakon - "a premium bacon infused vodka" - for The Hunk, a delicious-looking chocolate pig (I wonder if it's bacon flavored?) for me, and a "My First Bacon" for 'Lil Bit.

Have you ever seen such a perfectly themed set of gifts?

We have yet to taste the Bakon; we're waiting until CAG gets back from visiting his family. I really should search for cocktail recipes featuring this so we stand a chance of enjoying it, although The Hunk says we are required to try it straight out of the bottle. Yum....???

I haven't eaten my pig yet either...it's kind of cute! I should try it soon.

And 'Lil Bit...precious little girl... she's terrified of "My First Bacon." It has a button you press to get it to say, "I am bacon!" The voice is somewhat menacing. She won't go near it and says, "Bacon scared me, Mama!" LOL

Thanks, CAG for the ultra-cool gifts. We hope you will come enjoy some the Bakon with us soon!

Until next time,
MFW

In the Spirit of All Things End-of-Year

2010-12-28T15:24:00.000-08:00

Like most people, I find myself reflecting on the past year as the year 2010 draws to a close. I marvel at how much shit I've managed to accomplish, and then without skipping a beat, I chastize myself about all the shit I feel I should have accomplished. Do you find yourself doing the same? I'll bet that most of you do! It's human nature, after all.

Before I go into any specific whiny tangents about how things could have, would have, should have done, I'm going to take a little while to toot my own horn.

Did you know I finished FOUR classes in 2010? I didn't realize it either! That's 15 credit hours completed towards my degree. And I did them while managing a household (with the support of The Hunk) and while being a career woman (with the support of Bossman).

In addition to checking the requirements off of my degree program, I used that coursework to develop my skillset that I use day to day at work. This makes me a better employee and more marketable down the road should I want to or need to move on. How empowering is that?! It's such an awesome feeling to be able to really understand advanced networking concepts and how they relate specifically to the architecture at my current job. (And dammit, I feel SUPER smart!)

I almost completed the P90X program on two different occasions. Okay, okay, it's cheating to list that as an accomplishment since I didn't actually finish it either time I set out to, but trust me, if you've ever tried it, you know that it's only cheating a tiny, tiny bit. However.....well, we'll get to the however statements later....

My daughter is amazing. No, I didn't make that happen by myself either; it also goes down in The Hunk's list of 2010 Greatest Acheivements. Still, I'm claiming half of it. Being a parent is really, really hard work no matter how you spin it. Is it worth it? Hell yes. It's so awesome to watch her run around, singing songs, pointing out shapes, reciting her ABC's, and being a joyful little girl (for the most part).

I learned the value of a hobby and decorated some cute cakes along the way. When I'm tapped out from working and going to school, it's nice to have something to do for sheer pleasure. The Hunk will tell you that my hobby also tends to stress me out, but at least it's to a lesser degree! LOL

I began learning how to save money. This is something that I plan on capitalizing on in 2011 to pay down some debt. It's so crazy to think of how much money I blew paying full price for everything for so long. I still have a lot to learn, as well as some other things I can do to cut my spending, like eating lunch in the office instead of going out, but I made a lot of great progress in this area! Our grocery and household goods bills are cut in half!

While that's all fine and dandy, I still find myself feeling like I fell short for the year. Maybe it's my endless quest for self-improvement. Maybe it's that I'm overly critical of myself and normally fail to give credit where credit is due. Who knows? At any rate, there are so many things that I find myself wishing I'd have done. Some of you are nodding your heads and thinking, "Amen, sista, I'm SO THERE!"

ALL HAIL THE NEW YEAR, right? I mean, isn't this a "fresh, new start"? Don't we get a do-over on all the crap we didn't accomplish? Isn't that what all this New Year's Resolution hocus pocus is all about every year? Don't worry about eating those extra three Christmas cookies because you can just start over on January 1st. Don't worry about spending that money on that extra pair of boots - you'll work on saving money NEXT year. Come on, you know you've rationalized something to that effect this week! (Or is it really just me?)

So that brings me to the concept of the New Year's Resolution. For the most part, I think people make them with the purest, best intentions. I want to lose weight. I want to learn to budget. I want to be nicer to people. Whatever the case may be, it's all great stuff to work on, but the question is two fold - WHAT do we need to do in order to be the person we want to be and HOW are we going to do it? For me, it's going to require a complete overhaul. I know, it's completely unrealistic to think that I can reinvent myself in a year, and truthfully, I don't think that. I think I can, however, make a good bit of progress.

The thing I'm most in need of is to be able to wake up in the morning and feel GOOD. The Hunk pokes fun at me because I normally have some sort of ailment on an almost daily basis. I'm either tired, have a headache, have sore knees, have heartburn, or a host of other things. The truth is, I'm terrible to my body. I fill it full of junk and don't take care of it consistently. Remember my ALMOST completed attempts at P90X? Yeah....see? I suck at consistency. And I tell you this while putting away a few Reece's Pieces because I'm "getting rid of them before the new year hits."

I also don't get enough sleep. My mind is always working, even when I'm trying to sleep in order to be ready for the next day. I often wonder just how much better I'd feel if I could regulate my sleeping habits. Those headaches I get? Almost always in the morning or a couple of days after a stretch of poor sleep. I spent most of 2010 blaming my husband's snoring for my craptastic sleep habits. He got a C-PAP a few weeks ago, and while he's waking up feeling more refreshed than he has in years, or maybe even ever, I'm still waking up exhausted, wishing I could go back to bed. Maybe it's a matter of habit; maybe I'm just used to waking up so often from the past snoring that my body just thinks it's ok to wake up every hour. Or maybe I'm just stressed out from taking on so much and not making it a priority to spend some time decompressing and taking care of ME.

I KNOW the things I need to change. I know I need to eat healthier. To put it plainly, I SHOULD BE EATING HOW I WANT MY DAUGHTER TO EAT. I know I should exercise REGULARLY. I don't want my daughter spending her waking moments in front of the tv, so why do I do it? I know I should sleep more. I know I should learn to maintain patience with my daughter, especially at a time when she's really starting test boundaries. I know I could spend less money on frivolous things and more money on getting rid of my car loan and student loans in addition to saving for retirement and my kid(s) college expensive. But how? HOW?!

This is the part I'm still working on....

Until next time,
MFW

Paying it Forward at Pump 15

2010-12-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that holidays tend to bring out either the best or the worst in people. The Hunk isn't typically a fan of Christmas due to its commercialization and the stress people wear on their faces or spit out in vile phrases because they've overspent, can't find a Sing-a-long Pal or whatever the hot toy is, or simply can't afford to provide their kids the Christmas they wish they could. I, however, love this time of year, and I was reminded of one reason why yesterday morning.

It was a typical Thursday morning. 'Lil Bit and I rushed out of house, only to find that the gas light came on as I was pulling out of the driveway. Oh great. I was already later than I wanted to be. I made a mad dash to the QT just down the street from our house. Once I got out of the car, I swiped my debit card, only to find that it didn't seem to be working. Suddently, I noticed that the little screen said "Prepaid $25." Thinking I was about to rip someone off and not wanting someone else to pull up to the pump and rip whomever off, I got 'Lil Bit out of the car and went inside. The clerk informed me that the customer before me instructed him to tell the next person that went to Pump 15 "Merry Christmas" and said that it was my lucky day. How damn cool is that?

I, in turn, did the same for the next patron. Wouldn't it be cool if it lasted all day long? I sure think so!

There really ARE decent people left, as scarce as they may seem. They're the ones that don't steal the coins and dollars out of the Salvation Army buckets they man at the retail shops. They're the ones that call up the local radio stations and selflessly donate a couple hundred bucks so a stranger can make rent and get their child a winter coat. They're the ones that spend hours organizing and managing the toy drives, the food drives, and ways for soldiers to send a story for their kids back at home. They're the ones that prepay at the gas station, not knowing who is going to pull up next. Maybe, just maybe, the person after me was a single mom or a college student or someone that needed just a little help. And even if they did the same thing I did and decided to "pay it forward", maybe in the very least, I gave them a small reminder about the GOOD that holidays can bring out in others.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Until next time,
MFW

Lil Bit is 2

2010-10-05T20:59:00.001-07:00

This post comes just shy of being two weeks late... sorry, folks, that's what motherhood, school, and work do to me. They tear me away from blogging and sharing life with the world. Darn you, obligations!

Anyway, yeah, so Lil Bit turned 2 on September 22nd. Amazing, isn't it? We were fortunate enough to be able to fly The Hunk's parents out to celebrate with us, so she got to hang out with much of the extended family and got a lot of great new toys. Our living room looks like Toys R Us blew up in it!

I took her to the pediatrician for her checkup last week. She was not pleased about getting shots, nor was she even happy when she got bandaids. Not even the shiny one would do! She ripped them off and yelled, "NO STICKERS!" as she threw them at the poor nurse. I couldn't stop laughing. When she calmed down I asked her if she wanted to go bye-bye. "Yes, mama, I go bye-bye NOW." She was never so excited to go to daycare. :) For the record, she's average size and hitting all of the milestones she should be plus some. The doctor said she's speaking incredibly well for her age. Way to go, Lil Bit!

Lil Bit is by far the coolest thing I've ever had any part of making. Seeing her grow over the past two years has been incredibly rewarding. From the first moment I saw her and freaked out that it took her a few seconds to cry to hearing her sing her ABCs, I knew that being a mom, HER mom, would be wicked awesome. And it totally is.

Example of how awesome coupon stacking is...

2010-09-03T15:12:00.000-07:00

The Hunk got a wonderful little booklet of Target coupons. After clipping coupons out of three newspaper inserts last week, I have SO many coupons just waiting to be joined with a store coupon. Thankfully, I matched coupons today and many of the store coupons (SQ) The Hunk got matched wonderfully with the manufacturer coupons (MQ).

So off to Target I went today to stock up on household supplies. I saved ALMOST $30!!!

Ok, here's what went down. I learned a couple things from my first major couponing trip.

Diapers:

19.99

-2.00 catalina (this are the ones that print from the register)

-1.00 MQ

=17.99 (box of 86)

Glade cashmere woods air freshener (smells SO good)

$2.79

-1.00 SQ (is that the right abbreviation for store coupon?)

-1.00 MQ

=.78

Tide Stain Release

$5.99

-1.00 SQ

-.75 MQ

= 4.24 never used this product before, but Lil Bit has been very rough on her clothes as of late, and I'm hoping this stuff helps remove fingerpaint and ink....ugh.

Bounce Dryer bar

$5.99

-3.00 MQ

=2.99

Bertoli Frozen Dinner

$5.99

-1.50 MQ

=4.49 EASY dinner for a night when we're exhausted or for The Hunk and Lil Bit while I am in class

Axe Shower Jel

3.49 for 2 using BOGO MQ

Degree Clinical Stregnth Deodorant

6.89

-1.00 SQ

-2.00 MQ

=3.89

Schick Extreme 8ct

8.99

-1.00 SQ

-5.00 MQ !! this one was exciting lol

=2.99

Crest Pro Health Toothpaste

2.99

-1.00 SQ

=1.99

Should have gotten another dollar off but apparently it didn't actually scan....grrr......didn't catch it.

Ziploc Bags

2.33 x 2 boxes = 4.66

- .75

-.1.50

=2.41 or 1.20 per box

Total OOP $41.77

SAVED $29.36 using coupons and sales!!!

Then I went to the grocery store and got $75 worth of food for $53. All in all, a very good day! I have over $50 extra in the bank this week.

MFW is going frugal.... Lesson 1: Stacking Coupons

2010-08-27T11:35:00.000-07:00

Watch out, world! I've decided to learn the ways of "Couponing", and it totally just clicked in my brain!

I've tried in the past to use coupons, but I found that it really didn't save as much money as I'd hoped. However, I found a "Coupon Newbies" group on www.babycenter.com to show me the "proper" way to "coupon" so that you save the most money possible. At first, it was making my brain malfunction and I think I smelled a little bit of smoke. All of the sudden, though, I just got it!

Ok, here's the first secret I've learned. There's this wonderful thing in the coupon world called "stacking." Let's say your favorite store is Target. (It's definitely in my top 3.) On their website, there is a coupons link at the bottom of their home page. You go there, click the coupons you want, and presto - savings! But wait, there's more!

Depending on how the coupons print, you will get Target In-Store coupons and/or Manufacturer coupons. Unfortunately, you can't tell what they are until you actually print them. Pesky Target!

Let's say one of the coupons you print is a store coupon for $1 off your husband's and daughter's favorite brand of pretzels. So right there, you've saved a buck. It gets better! Now let's say you find a manufacturer coupon either online or in your newspaper insert for another $1 off. YOU CAN USE THEM BOTH!! That means you save $2 on the bag of pretzels your husband was going to put in the cart anyway! AND! Let's pretend for a moment that the bag of of pretzels have a retail price of $3.25 for the bag. If you get lucky, they'll be on sale for $2.50. If you use both of your coupons, you'll pay $0.50 for the bag and save $2.75! That's not a lot, but if you can figure out how to do that on most of your household products and packaged foods, that can add up quickly!

My next endeavor will be to learn the ways of getting stuff for free using CVS' Extra Care program.... I'll let you know when I figure that mess out....

Until next time,
Newly Frugal MFW

Just a small town girl

2010-08-09T11:15:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Chicago on business, I rediscovered the fact that I am very much a small town girl. Sure, I may live in a city now, but it is nothing compared to something like Chicago.

The town I grew up had a population of 225. Nope, I didn't forget any digits on that one. The nearest town offering a Walmart is roughly 15-20 minutes away. There are no malls, unless you count the tiny outlet mall, which I don't. The nearest REAL mall is about an hour away. The median household income in that town is about $28,000. I bring up these stats just to show that there really isn't a whole lot going on.

However, my uncles and I always managed to find something to keep us occupied. My uncles are 3 years and 5 years older than me, so we grew up as siblings. The younger of the two and I were especially close. We'd scour through the 90 acres of fields and woods, exploring and having adventures. My fear of snakes is rooted in those times, in fact. As you can imagine, there were many of them on my grandmother's property, and any time we'd spot one, Uncle J would yell, "RUN!! I'll kill it!" He was my protector from all things serpent-y. I shall forever thank him for that, despite the fact that I shudder every time I see a snake now, even at the zoo.

Even when my grandfather bought my uncles a Nintendo, Uncle J and I spent much of our time outdoors. We'd camp out near the pond and go fishing. Once he even made a fire and cooked one of the little fish speared over a stick that he'd whittled with his pocket knife. I did not eat it. He did. I can't remember if he got sick the next day or not.

When it rained, we'd go stomp in puddles outside or go play in the water that collected in the huge ditches along the gravel roads. Yes, that sounds gross to some of you out there, but we didn't think anything of it. What's a little mud? Some women pay to sit in mud. And on the off chance we couldn't play outside, we'd play hide and seek in the basement, in the pitch black darkness. I swear I almost broke my nose one time running into a door frame chasing after him.

Uncle M and I were much more studious. We'd play school. I think he's part of the reason I started school already knowing so much. He had all these old books and papers, and we even had a desk. It was awesome. Me? Nerd? Why, yes, thank you.

I tell you all of this to explain the experience I had in Chicago. You know, to set it up. I highly doubt kids raised in Chicago go fishing much or swim in ditches or even pick blackberries and get a stomachache from eating so many before even getting home.

I was only in Chicago overnight, and most of the time, we were working or driving, so I didn't even get to see much of the city. But it was enough for me to realize that it was wildly different than what I'm used to. Though I live in a city now with a population of 450,000 - 2 million in the metro area - it pales in comparison. It isn't so much about the number of people either. It's all in the attitude.

People in Chicago are far too busy to say hi to one another or even be polite drivers. IMMEDIATELY after the light turns green, people start honking. There is no opportunity to react before being honked at. And pedestrians and cars are equally important, both trying to make their destinations, neither one paying any attention to the other. So many people have so many near misses. Stop signs are optional. And it goes on and on and on all day and all night. Trust me, I stayed right downtown and didn't have the intelligence to think to turn on the fan to drown out all of this honking and sirens.

One thing I did appreciate and wish were more available where I live is the idea of mass transit. Sure, we have buses, but no one takes them. We definitely do not have a train, although The Hunk and others keep telling me "No, HB, you DON'T want to ride the train. It's a scary place." So, I guess it's just one of those things that sounds good in theory but in practice isn't so glamorous.

All this was basically to say that I came back to my mid-sized city, happy to have a little bit of both a small town feel with convenience, but I really feel sheltered. I long to travel. I could have spent days in Chicago, sitting in inconspicuous places, observing those that live there. But I'll never live in such a huge city. I like being a small town girl.

Now, THAT's talent...

2010-08-02T12:28:00.000-07:00

As a multifaceted woman, one of my favorite things to do is to bake. The Hunk is probably laughing right now because every time I have a cake to make, I end up waiting until the very last possible minute. This causes me to stress out and proclaim that I'm never going to bake a cake again. It's as maddening for him as it is for me, I'm sure.

At any rate, last week, I made a cake for someone at work. It turned out fairly well.

However, those flowers are real.... I'd LOVE to learn how to do this:

Those flowers, my friends, are not real. They are delicately fabricated out of gumpaste. Amazing, immaculate, detailed, and probably even MORE maddening.

So, my birthday is tomorrow....

2010-08-02T12:05:00.000-07:00

....and this is what I want.

And it is on sale! For $199 I could have the whole thing. Down from $731. Look at that discount! Sigh....so tempting.

The Hunk and I are always joking about how I'm going to be a hoarder once our kid(s) move out of the house in 20-some years, depending on when we decide to procreate a second time. I've decided he's right and that I'm going to hoard China. He better prepare himself. Stacks and stacks of plates, bowls, tea cups, and gravy boats are in his future

The Crane and an Almost-Sprain

2010-05-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

I finally got off my butt and started P90X all over again this week. It's such a buzz kill to know that I undid all of the progress I made by letting life get in the way of continuing my workouts in the first attempt. I'm trying to convince myself that the important thing is that I'm back on the horse, taking it one day at a time.

The first time I attempted P90X, I made it through the first month. I felt great, and I could already see some results. It was a half-hearted attempt, too. I only did the Yoga X one time. The rest of the time, I avoided it.

Prior to doing P90X, I'd never done yoga. I consider myself to have flexibility and balance, but yoga, particularly Yoga X, honestly makes me feel like a clumbsy fat kid. I powered through it the best that I could, tumbling quite often. It is uncomfortable, long, and just downright painful. But I did it because I was so sore from the first three days and was hoping for some relief from stretching....which I did get. I feel much better today.

Anyway, towards the end of the workout, there is a pose called the Crane. Tony Horton even says, "DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU ARE NOT READY OR YOU WILL FALL ON YOUR HEAD." Eh, what do you know, Mr. Horton?

Here's a picture of what the Crane looks like:

See? Piece of cake, right?

WRONG.

Guess what, kids? I fell on my head! No, seriously, I did. And then I fell over in an awkward motion on my arm. It really hurt! Luckily, it feels fine today. I was worried I was going to end up with a stupid sprain...all because of the stupid Crane.

Do you think this will keep me from trying it again? Heck no. I'll be back at it next week....

Grievances Over Green Grapes

2010-05-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

When Aunty C and I were little, we used to go stay the night with Grandma Soup. Her name was really Sue, but Aunty C always added that "p" at the end, and thusly, she became Grandma Soup. It's especially ironic because I don't recall ever having seen her eat soup even once, but I digress.

There are several instances where I can recall sitting at her light oak kitchen table with the blue floral cushions, a bowl of fresh green grapes in front of me as I colored princess pictures, getting slightly out of the lines JUST because I could while Grandpa read "the pixie book" a half dozen times.

As I colored and ate bunches and bunches of green grapes, Grandma Soup oooohed and aahhhhed over my drawings, making me feel as if I was a Picasso in training. The truth is, I still color outside of the lines, but now it's because I just suck at art unless it is in the form of music, not because I'm pushing the boundaries of conformity without even knowing what it means. In fact, I'm so terrible at art that my dad has a paint-by-numbers that I painted and framed for him for Father's Day....not when I was nine but when I was NINETEEN.

I think about these times often, especially as I cut up green grapes into small little bites for my 'Lil Bit. I smile as she requests more because she, too, loves the green grapes. Red just won't do. And then I take a step back and swallow hard, trying to supress the giant lump forming in my throat, for I miss my Grandma Soup and I wish that she were here. Sometimes I consider throwing the grapes and never allowing them into the house again.

I can just picture my own daughter, sitting at that same table coloring princess pictures and eating green grapes carefully chosen, washed, and placed in a green plastic bowl. 'Lil Bit is just starting to "comer" (that's how she says "color"). Right now, she doesn't even know what lines really are, but someday she will. Whether or not she colors in the lines and the reasons she does or doesn't is no matter. Although she'll never know Grandma Soup, she'll know what it's like to feel like a Picasso in training. The green grapes will always be there as long as she likes them, and I will always oooh and aahhh over her drawings, no matter how great or how not great they may be.

I want to write.

2010-04-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

I haven't written here for over a month. Sad panda. Even sadder still is that I feel like I have a million things swirling all around in my head, but I can't pick out any single thing to write about. I feel uncreative and unexpressive. Blah.

Sometimes I wish I had a job that forced me to write, just so I'd have no excuse not to write, like not having the time or not having anything to write about.

Sigh.....

P90X Month One - DONE

2010-03-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the last day of my first 30 days of the P90X Lean program. Admittedly, I was a little bit nervous when I weighed myself and took my measurements over again. I mean, really, I haven't done the best job (or even a good job) of sticking to the fat shredder diet. I had some rough spots where I got off a few days on exercising and then had to make mad dashes to catch up on workouts. Honestly, I even skipped a couple of days of Yoga. I know, I know.

At any rate, before I put down the stats, let me just tell you how I FEEL. I feel great! Some days I don't want to work out, but I begrudgingly pull myself off of the couch and make the trek downstairs. Once I get started, I feel a burst of energy. After the workouts I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment for pushing through the lack of motivation that tries to take hold. That just happened tonight in fact. Of course now it's after 11:00 and I'm blogging instead of sleeping because my body is like, "YAY! I have energy now!"

About a week and a half ago, I stepped out of the shower and dried off. As I was putting lotion on my legs just as I do almost every morning, I stopped and thought, "Dang, yo! That's a calf muscle!" And it's a long and lean muscle! It was very exciting!

I feel totally different as I'm walking down the hallways at work. I feel as if I stand a little taller. Even sitting at my desk I notice much better posture compared to a month ago. I've already gotten compliments like, "Wow, I can really tell that is already working!" It's true - my pants are fitting better, my shirts are fitting better... it's not a huge change, but it is enough to make me keep going.

Now for the measurements...drumroll please!

Waist: Feb 18 - 33.25" (ugh, that number is so humbling still)
March 23- 31.5" loss of 1.75"
Bust: Feb 18 - 37.25"
March 23- 35.75" loss of 1.5"
Chest: Feb 18 - 31"
March 23- 30.5" loss of .5"
Hips: Feb 18 - 40.75" (what can I say, I've had a kid. lol)
March 23- 39.5" loss of 1.25"
Left
Thigh: Feb 18 - 21.75"
March 23- 20.25" loss of 1.5"
Right
Thigh: Feb 18 - 21.5"
March 23- 20.25" loss of 1.25"
Left
Calf: Feb 18 - 14.25"
March 23- 13.75" loss of .5"

Right Feb 18 - 14.25"
Calf: March 23- 14" loss of .25" and I suppose I have crooked legs :p

Left
Upper Arm: Feb 18 - 10.25"
March 23 - 10.75" gain of .5"

RUA: Feb 18 - 10.5"
March 23- 11" gain of .5"

Weight: Feb 18 - 133.4 lbs
March 23 -129.8 lbs loss of 3.6 lbs

I'm not posting pictures this time. I don't know where my "Befores" went, and there's really no benchmark for comparison. I took new pictures this month and put them on my 'puter, so you'll see them next time....maybe. LOL

In the second month, I get to swap out the Shoulders and Arms workout and do the Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps instead. I'm excited for a change in routine, even if it is only subtle.

Anyway, that's it for month one! Yippee!!

Completely Inside My Head

2010-03-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

With the promise of Spring comes the promise of rain
Washing away all of the dirt and grime of the dark winter
Fertilizing the Earth in preparation for the blooming vegetation and regrowth
No more dying trees, sad looking bushes
Instead of looking tired, the world will awaken
So will I.

I'm not the best writer of poetry, but those few lines sum up how I'm feeling today. It's not really a Spring-y day today, though we did have some earlier in the week. Yet I sit here in great anticipation of sunshine after a thunderstorm.

I've been enduring a few thunderstorms of my own as of late. Nothing major really, but they've been enough to rattle me out of my state of complacence. In light of that, it's time to rethink Spring cleaning. In addition to wiping the dust off of the surfaces in my house, I shall also wipe the dust off of my mind.

I've been focusing so hard on taking courses to get a degree that I haven't really actually LEARNED much of anything beneficial to my indefinite career path. At this point, I feel it is in my best interest to take a small break, even for just a semester or two, to really get out there and soak everything up that I can. Anyone can read a book and take an open book quiz, but to really get out there and APPLY that knowledge is where the real learning is at. Not sitting at a desk taking classes that have little to no relevance to my actual career. So, I'm finishing this semester and then redirecting my efforts to a more targeted approach. I want to get some certifications under my belt this year to make myself more marketable in the industry and to really prove to myself that I have what it takes to succeed as a female in a male dominated industry.

It is also time to declutter. I have way too much going on in this brain of mine. Instead of balancing a few items on my agenda and really doing them well, I'm jugging more than I can and not really making much contact with any one of them. As hard as it is to make decisons on what to place on the shelf, it has to be done. Therefore, I'm shutting down my website because it's doing nothing but taking up space and causing me stress. I've shed a few tears over it, and I still think it is a great idea; I'm just not at a point in my life where I can properly execute.

I've already started a transformation of my body with the P90X program. I just started Week 3 last night, and while I am extremely bruised from doing so many push-ups on my knees, I feel awesome. I'm proud of the progress I've made in a short period of time, and what I'm most proud of is that I am doing it. Even on nights when I really don't feel like working out, I pick myself up off the couch and just get it done. Normally, it just takes a few minutes anyway and then I'm over the feeling of not wanting to do it. It's just getting over that initial hump, and so far, I've been doing a fairly decent job. But wow are my knees purpley red and sore. :/

The Hunk has been so patient with me over the past few weeks as I've put more hours in at work and have been in quite a funk over everything. I'm so thankful to have such a wonderful husband that supports me in whatever ways he can. It doesn't matter how craptastic my day at work is or how poorly I feel I'm doing in a class I don't really care about. Once I'm in his arms, it all melts away even if only for a minute. I love you so much, hubby.

Even writing all of this has been a breath of fresh Spring-like air.

Take THAT Week 1

2010-02-24T13:10:00.000-08:00

Week 1 of the P90X is in the books! Aside from a few small stumbles, both literally and figuratively, I think it went well. I'm not going to measure or weigh in, so I can't really say that there are any visible results, but I do notice some changes. I'm already noticing a substantial increase in energy throughout the day. I don't feel sluggish nearly as often. It is probably a result of sleeping better since the workouts are long and rather intense. I'm not at the point yet where the workouts are an energy boost in and of themselves. Instead, they're extremely tiresome, and I normally just want to go straight to sleep after finishing.

So, I already posted about Core Synergistics last Wednesday. On Thursday, we did Cardio X. Surprisingly, it was comprised of segments that I wouldn't normally conisder to be cardio, like lunges and yoga, but it really did get my heart rate up and made me sweat. It was also only 45 minutes, which was nice compared to some of the other much longer workouts.

On Friday, we did Shoulders and Arms and Ab Ripper X. This one hurt. I'm much better at core work and cardio than I am the strength training. Still, it was nice to find a workout that The Hunk enjoyed. He doesn't like the cardio stuff like I do. The Ab Ripper X was also quite painful. It's sixteen minutes long, so you think, "Hmm, how bad can it be?" But in that sixteen minutes you do 330-something reps. OUCH!

Saturday was Legs and Back with another round of the Ab Ripper X. Again, ouch! Tons and tons of lunges and pull-ups. I cannot do a single pull-up, so I am going to use resistance bands. My goal is to be able to do one stinking pull-up by the time the 90days is over. I have NEVER been able to do one. Honestly, I was yelling at this chick named Dreya on the TV because she was doing pull-up after pull-up with ease. I hate her. I started to get really discouraged and genuinely pissed off at myself for letting my lack of upper body strength, but The Hunk helped me figure out something to do since we didn't have bands yet. He also gave me a giant encouraging hug when I was just about in tears because I'm so weak.

Anyway, my legs felt like spaghetti the next day, and my shoulders were so sore that I had to bend down to put my headphones on. LOL On a positive note, I managed to do more of the Ab Ripper the second time around. Small victory. Another small victory is holding position on the wall squats longer than The Hunk, which felt kind of vindicating after whole pull-up mess. HA! TAKE THAT! So you are against the wall, sitting in an imaginary chair...and then you put one leg out. Sounds like it should be easy, but it is painful, especially since you do this for 90 seconds.

Next was Kenpo, which is a mix of kickboxing and Americanized karate. I wasn't sure how they expected me to kick anything with my noodle-y legs, but I gave it a shot. :) I really enjoyed this one. Some of the combination moves are a little tough to grasp at first. I think it's important to note that the purpose of the workout is to burn calories and sweat. You don't have to get every move down perfectly in the beginning. At least that's my take... The Hunk and I got a little off-kilter for a moment when he got a little frustrated and paused the DVD. I, in turn, got frustrated at him because it's hard to keep focus and the heart rate up with a paused DVD. Hehe. In the end, he pushed through it, though he was still mad afterwards because "it isn't even real martial arts." Men. ;) It may not have been, but hey, I was seriously sweating at the end of the hour.

I wanted to do the Stretch X workout last night, yet my schedule just didn't allow for it. I may try to fit it in next week, either in the morning (HAHA, yeah right, like I'm going to wake up at 5:30) or after class, which would require me to be awake until 11:00 or 11:30. Yuck. But it's interesting that I felt LAZY not working out last night.

In addition to the intense workouts, we've been eating a lot better over the last week. I've cooked almost every night! What's more is I've actually enjoyed it! We tried a lot of new recipes, and some of them are going to become favorites, like the chicken and black bean salsa. Oh so good!

There are just two things I need to try to work on - water intake and limiting caffeine. I'm having such a hard time drinking enough water, mostly because I don't enjoy water. I'm going to go get some Crystal Light or something. And I'm trying to cut out the soda and coffee, but it's really hard. I'm down to one caffeinated beverage a day, which is better than about three per day.

All in all, I really enjoy the program so far. It's structured very effectively. Yeah, I may yell at the tv. Yeah, I may fall over because I'm just not that coordinated or graceful. Yeah, I may get discouraged because I can't do a stupid pull-up to save my life. But as the trainer on the dvd says, "Do your best and forget the rest." I'm trying to do just that.

Things I Learned from Core Synergistics

2010-02-18T14:00:00.000-08:00

Did you know you use your ab muscles for just about everything? Walking, balance, raising your arms, coughing, laughing, and probably even farting, though as far as you all know, I don't do that because I'm a lady. ;)

The Hunk and I did the first workout of the P90X Lean program last night, which is Core Synergistics. I wasn't convinced that doing lunges and pushups and some crazy-ass superman/banana shit would work out my core muscles, but today I notice little twinges in my ab mucles when I do simple things listed above. I mean, really, raise your arms above your head right now. It takes AB MUSCLES TO DO THAT! Weird.

At any rate, the workout was intense. I was breathing heavy, sweating, tired, and really just chewed up and spit out in the living room floor by the time the hour was up. It felt like a small win just to get it done. I just need to maintain that mentality for the next 89 days. LOL

I'm still gathering pre-P90X info, like before pictures and measurements so I have a benchmark to compare at the end of this whole maddening process. I haven't decided if I'm going to post them here or not... On one hand, it would be good motivation. On the other hand, it would be embarrassing!

Tonight is Cardio X....

A Song to Get You Thinking

2010-02-17T09:10:00.000-08:00

I first heard this song on my Metric station on Pandora. Regina Spektor was someone who I thought had a lovely voice with an impressive range, but I didn't really like "Fidelity" or "On the Radio." I did, however, like the song she did with Ben Folds, "You Don't Know Me."

I was surprised to hear this song and absolutely fall in love with it. I Googled the lyrics and now I just really cannot stop thinking about it.

BLUE LIPS

He stumbled into faith and thought
God, there is all there is
The pictures in his mind arose
And began to breathe
And all the gods and all the worlds
Began colliding on a backdrop of blue

Blue lips, blue veins

He took a step but then felt tired
He said I'll rest a little while
But when he tried to walk again
He wasn't a child
And all the people hurried fast, real fast
And no one ever smiled

Blue lips, blue veins
Blue, the color of our planet
From far, far away
Blue lips, blue veins
Blue, the color of our planet
From far, far away

He stumbled into faith and thought
God, there is all there is
The pictures in his mind arose
And began to breathe
And no one saw and no one heard
They just followed the lead
The pictures in his mind arose
And began to breathe

And no one saw
And no one heard they just followed the lead
The pictures in his mind awoke
And began to breed

They started off beneath an olive tree
And they chopped it down to make a picket fence
And marching along the railroad tracks
They smiled real wide for the camera lens
As they made it past the enemy lines
Just to become enslaved in the enemy lines

Blue lips, blue veins
Blue, the color of our planet
From far, far away
Blue lips, blue veins
Blue, the color of our planet
From far, far away

Blue, the most human color [x3]
Blue lips, blue veins
Blue, the color of our planet
From far, far away

Is there a cutest kid contest somewhere?

2010-02-10T11:51:00.001-08:00

Seriously, 'Lil Bit is the cutest thing ever. EVER. Since I have school on Tuesday nights, I try to take a few extra minutes on Wednesday to play with her before going to work. 'Lil Bit loves music, so we spend many mornings listening to Pandora or watching Sesame Street videos on YouTube. This morning, we were singing Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Turn Into." It goes," I know what I know. Ah, yeah" at the end.

So 'Lil bit starts singing, "Oh no oh yeah." I was in hysterics.

I mean really, look at this face.

Now that I've made you smile, I gotta get back to work.

Until next time,
MFW

MFW Gets Married Part 2

2010-02-07T21:02:00.000-08:00

I left off part 1 of this wedding recap with a missing photographer. I should preface this with another short blurb… Just two days before the wedding, I received an email from said photographer asking where and what time the wedding was!! Oh.My.Gawd. How in the world did we get this far without ever discussing where and when she was supposed to meet us?! I am still in awe of that.

Finally, as I’m trying to get used to the idea of starting the ceremony with no professional photographer (after all, there were a minimum of five cameras between our guests), I happen to glance down the beach to see a girl walking extremely fast, with her camera bag flapping against her side. Whew! Crisis averted!

With everyone finally there, it was time to begin the ceremony. First, I walked back up the beach in order to prepare for my grand entrance.

As I stood at the boardwalk, waiting for the officiant to give me a wave when she was ready, I expected to feel nervous. After all, this was a lifetime committment I was about to make! However, instead of feeling nervous, I stood there with peaceful resolve. I knew that I was making the right decision to marry The Hunk.

When we found out I was pregnant with 'Lil Bit, we made a promise to one another that we would never get married solely for the sake of our child. Instead, we would wait until we were sure that we wanted to get married for no other reason than just to be with each other in the most sacred of unions. I felt that we were doing just that.

After I took a moment to ponder this, I saw the officiant wave. The photographer was already snapping photos of me standing at the boardwalk, and I let her know "This is it. Here we go."

I could hear the traditional Wedding March playing as I walked through the soft floury sand, but as I got closer to where The Hunk was standing, ironically, the music started fading instead of getting louder. I was so focused on looking straight into the eyes of the man I was about to marry, to try to speak with him as intently as possible without saying a word. Finally, I stood before him, placed my bouquet on the ground, and mouthed, "I love you" as we waited for the music to stop.

The ceremony began with a quote from William Shakespeare, "My bounty is as boundless as the sea,my love as deep: the more I give to thee,the more I have, for both are infinite." It was a great way to set the tone of our quaint little wedding.

After asking if we were ready to committ ourselves to one another, we said our vows. Both of us got a very teary-eyed and choked up as we made these promises to each other.

Once our vows were said, we were each given a bottle of sand. The officiant spoke of how our individual lives were now blended together. Our families are joined, our friends are joined, everything. We then poured our bottles into a bigger container, which now sits on our fireplace mantle.

Finally, the officiant pronnounced us husband and wife and family! We sealed it with a kiss. Or two or three. :)

And with that we were husband and wife.

Husband and wife!

The officiant kicked off a lively song while our families congratulated us....and then the CD began skipping. HA! I don't know what it is, but no matter what little slip-ups happen, The Hunk and I can always muster a laugh, although this time it didn't take much mustering at all. It was just damn funny.

Following the ceremony, we got some photos with our family. As we were taking photos, the officant said, "Where's the marriage license? I need to sign it." Guess what genius left the marriage license in the rental car?! Yep, you guessed it. Me. So while The Hunk and went to take our pictures, his family went to the restaurant, and my family went to grab the license and get it signed. Another close one!

Sadly, we didn't get as much time for pictures as I would have liked, but we had dinner reservations to make. I am trying to be patient in waiting to see the final product, but it is so hard! I'm really hoping she can tone down that horrible sunburn I so stupidly got. She did send me this awesome sneak peek!

I am so very thankful that so many of our closest family members and our best friend got to be there to share in our joy. I know it meant a lot for The Hunk's grandmother to get to see one of her grandchildren to get married!

Now for some awesomely funny pictures, MFW style!

I look like a super crazy lady with this giant knife, red eyes, and wild smile!

When trying to get a nice picture with my daughter, she decided to climb up me instead of just cooperating.

As usual, messing up what would have been an otherwise lovely picture:

But I don't always mess up pictures. I love this picture with The Hunk's grandparents. They are such sweet people.

Even with so many near misses, the ceremony and dinner were exactly what we had hoped for - a meaningful celebration of love, family, and downright fun. Oh, and I got to play princess for a day. What girl doesn't like that? ;)

Until next time,
MRS. MFW

MFW Gets Married Part 1

2010-02-04T07:45:00.000-08:00

As I sit here on the couch, wearing The Hunk’s red track pants with the rattiest t-shirt I own, I can’t help but feel pretty. My husband has that affect on me, even when he isn’t here.

Husband.

The day The Hunk and I got married started out like any typical Florida vacation day. We woke up, had breakfast with our friend Cool Asian Guy (CAG), and headed to the beach. Perhaps most would feel a little disappointment at the clouds in the sky, but not me. I love the fact that the ocean looks, feels, sounds, and smells different each day.

We spent the next couple of hours collecting sea shells and having an unofficial contest to see who could wade deeper in the water. The water was so chilly that it actually made our muscles cramp up for just a little bit before going numb. It is an extreme case of “getting used to the water.” If you’re wondering who won the “contest,” it was me. I managed to make it until the water hit mid-thigh.

Following the beach, we decided to have lunch at the Old Salty Dog, a small waterfront restaurant featured on Man vs Food. Helga, our less-than-trusty GPS, managed to get us lost on the way there. It was almost 1:30pm by the time we got there. I should mention at this point that we still needed to pick up the cake and drop it off at the restaurant, pick up flowers, make the bouquet, iron The Hunk’s shirt, take showers, and make my appointment at 3pm to have my hair and make-up done. My head started to throb, but I managed to enjoy lunch and not stress out. I knew that no matter what happened, at the end of the day, The Hunk and I would become husband and wife.

Wife.

By the time we finished lunch and made it back to the hotel, the clock read 2:30. I took the fastest shower in history while The Hunk and CAG took the car to get gas, only to have bad luck with Helga yet again, only to end up at an empty gas station. They finally fueled up the car and made it back to drop the car off at 3:05. Yes, at this point I was already late for my hair and makeup appointment. Surprisingly, I wasn’t mad or even stressed. I simply got in the car, started driving, and called the salon. They were running late anyway, so it mattered very little that I was as well.

The stylist and makeup artists worked quickly, all the while commenting on how calm I was considering how late I was running for a 5:30 ceremony. “Eh, it’ll be ok,” I reassured them.

While I was at the salon, the boys went to pick up the cake. Where we live, you can get anywhere by hopping on the highway. In Sarasota, however, there is no easy highway access. It is all city streets. Very busy city streets with lots of congestion and lonnnnng stoplights. It meant that driving to places took twice as long as you thought that it should.

After I finished up at the salon and made my way to my dad’s hotel to put my dress on, I realized that I had never gotten the flowers! WHOOPS! Luckily, there was a Pulix on my way. I parked the car in the back forty and ran into the store with my fancy hair doo and expertly applied makeup while wearing shorts and a tank top. I turned many heads, that’s for sure. The floral department was just inside the door, so I hurried and grabbed three bunches of flowers and made my way to the check on line. Oh, shit! My wallet is in the car!

The woman at the register, who was wearing way too much not-so-great smelling perfume and a look of boredom on her hollow face, was not pleased. I threw the flowers down, asked her to hold them, and ran out to the car. Grabbed wallet, ran back, all the while receiving funny glances from passersby and fellow Publix shoppers.

I finally made it back to the car and on my way to my dad’s hotel at 4:57pm. At that time, my husband called to tell me he wasn’t going to make it to the beach by 5:15. “You’re going to be late for your own wedding?!” I then shut my mouth because I was, too! Still, the officiant and all of The Hunk’s family were just waiting on the beach, totally unsure if they even had the right spot.

When I replay the events that occurred in my dad’s hotel, I can’t help but laugh. My dad’s girlfriend and my sister helped me into my dress, put on my jewelry, positioned hair pins, and tied a bouquet all in the span of about fifteen minutes. We must have looked like a movie stuck on fast-forward!

After I was dressed and ready to go, I stopped and looked at myself in the mirror in silence. I wanted to remember exactly how I felt and looked at that very moment. I do remember, but it’s difficult to think of the right words to describe it. I think the best way to describe it at this point is to say that I felt that I finally looked as beautiful as The Hunk makes me feel every day. I finally saw myself how he sees me. Cheesy? Yes. But true.

We finally made it to the beach right at 5:30, when the ceremony was supposed to start. The Hunk and I reunited, each just beaming with excitement. Of course, 'Lil Bit, who had been staying with her grandparents was also excited to see us.

Now, everyone was there and ready to get the party started! ...Everyone except the photographer...

stay tuned....

Until next time,
MFW

Busy and lazy at the same time?

2009-12-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

I didn't know it was possibly to be really busy, yet feel incredibly lazy all at the same time, but it seems that's the case as of late.

The semester is coming to a close. I rocked the final in my networking class, which was a great feeling. Had I flunked it, I would have felt very insecure about my current job lol. Now I just need to work on my final paper for my writing class. Blech.

My company is gearing up for our big move next week. It has been crazy busy. We'll be putting in wicked terrible hours next week and next weekend I'm sure. I'll be so happy when it's over.

So, yeah, that is the productive side. But with all of THAT going on, I'm staring December in the face with NO Christmas tree. I did not and probably will not make any Christmas cookies or send Christmas cards. The tree might make it up this weekend, but if it doesn't, I give up.

One would think that having 'Lil Bit around would fuel my Christmas spirit, but she'll probably tear all of the decorations off the bottom half of tree and/or knock it down anyway.

Sadly, I've also been procrastinating on final details in the wedding planning, including getting my dress altered. I should really get on that, lest I want to trip and fall or have a wardrobe malfunction.

I feel like this post is super boring....so I'll stop rambling and leave you with this picture. It's a geeky throwback to some "old" technology. You would not believe how many of these were in our server room....

The Power of a Necklace

2009-11-25T07:58:00.001-08:00

Women of the world, I am going to tell you something so simple, yet so profound that it is going to boggle your mind. My friends, I have learned the power of the greatest accessory in a woman's arsenol of weaponry to look good - the necklace. Carefully chosen and properly worn, this simple piece of jewelry can cost $5 but make you feel like you're capable of stepping out into the world and making millions and conquering all.

It all started yesterday as I was getting ready for another day at the office. Since I have class on Tuesday nights, The Hunk is in charge of taking 'Lil Bit to daycare and picking her up on his way home. That normally means The Hunk gets the shower first while I spend some time with my girl. It also means that they are gone when I take my shower and get ready.

Yesterday, I took a few extra minutes to get ready. I took an extra long shower, dried my hair all the way instead of just halfway, and actually wore eye makeup, which I do infrequently during the week. I was feeling ok about how I looked. Then, on a whim, I decided to look through my stash of necklaces. I've been on a sort of necklace-wearing hiatus for the most part because of 'Lil Bit's grabby hands, but now that she's finally getting bored with things after just two seconds, it is easier for me to distract her from what's around my neck.

Can I just tell you that I own more necklances than I even knew I did? I have the nice ones that The Hunk has given me over the last couple of years. I have many, many strings of beads in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and lengths. I have a simple chain in both gold and white gold. Oh, and I have the obligatory cross.

Anyway, I opted for a jingly metal set of beads and rings in black, silver, pearl, and clear. Immediately after putting it on, I felt sassy. Put together. Ready to walk with confidence and kick some serious ass. Isn't that weird?

I've written posts on how many different directions I'm being pulled right now. I've complained about being tired. I've whiled about feeling worn down. Work life is hectic. School is draining. My website is stressing me out.

But today, I'm wearing a necklace (and my favorite pair of jeans, which are also important to a woman's arsenol), and dammit, I feel good.

Now if only the millions would start rolling in.....

Music For Cool Moms?

2009-11-23T09:22:00.000-08:00

I'm taking a break from this hectic workday to have some lunch and come write. Although I have much to write about in terms of what's goin' on with the fam, I'm going to write about something fun.

This past weekend, The Hunk and I were out and about with 'Lil Bit, listening to the radio as we were driving around. As of late, I've been on this weird Indy rock and other unclassifiable music kick. For example, I'm in love with the White Rabbits. Sure, I came across them because one of their songs actually ended up on the radio, which makes it somewhat mainstream, but I still think they're Indy because of their sound and the fact that iTunes says so. :p I love their songs "Percussion Gun," "While We Go Dancing," and "Pilot."

Switching gears to a group that doesn't really fit any genre except perhaps Folk....Beirut. "Mount Wrocklai (Idle Days)" is a great song! I dunno why since it's rather repetitive, but trust me, it is.

Then, if you want to hear a punk rock band, opt for The Gossip with their lead singer that is clearly going to be famous just for her vocals and not her looks, which is quite refreshing actually. She certainly doesn't fit the stereotypical image of someone you'd find up on stage. Sadly, that's probably part of the reason not many people know about them. However, her voice is great, she has a nice rock star scream, and her songs give great advice. Check out "Fire With Fire." I like to belt it out as I'm driving. My voice isn't as edgy as hers. Must work on that. Ohhhh, you know who she reminds me of? Imagine a punked out Aretha and you've got The Gossip's front lady. Cool, no?

Let's see, what else do I have on my playlist? Oh, yes! We cannot forget Sia. Wow, Sia. This woman is said to be able to fill a huge auditorium using no amplification at all. I like to describe her lyrics as being "raw," meaning she puts it all out there for everyone to see. I cannot name my favorite Sia song due to fairly equal love for all, but a few that I find myself singing more often than not are "Sunday", "Death by Chocolate", "Breathe Me", and "Lentil." I don't fill an auditorium while singing her songs....just the car....but it works.

And something that I liked BEFORE it became mainstream (thankyouverymuch) due to its appearance on TV, Phoenix's "1901." It's, like, totally catchy and stuff.

Ok, so yes, if you're listening to these recommendations, you're probably getting whiplash. Seriously, you should see the craziness that is my iTunes.

Anywho, back to driving around with The Hunk. We stopped for lunch at Jose Peppers (you should hear how I'm saying it in my head as I type, it would crack you up) after hearing some other band I like on the local alternative station. As we walked up to the door, The Hunk informed me that just because I like Indy rock, doesn't mean I'll be "The Cool Mom" when 'Lil Bit gets older.

Maybe *I* won't be a cool mom since I'll probably be all disciplinarian and such, but at least I'll like good music.

Caffeine Works Better at Night

2009-11-20T22:01:00.000-08:00

I had a Java Chiller from Sonic close to 10pm. That was not such a good idea. I'm wired! Luckily, I've been using my sudden energy burst on working on the forums for my brand spankin' new website!

I can't wait to share more details, but for now, I must prepare for the crash that will inevitably come.

Until next time,
-MFW

I Heart Lists

2009-11-09T07:49:00.000-08:00

Things are great over here in my corner of the world. As is usually the case, I've got a lot on my plate at once, so I'm just plugging along, trying to tackle bits and pieces of everything one thing at a time. Because I love lists so much, I thought I'd update everyone that way. Here's what I'm up to:

-Planning a destination wedding! That's right, The Hunk and I are tying the knot! Woo hoo! We're super stoked. Our ceremony is going to be on a beautiful beach in Siesta Key, FL. Since there won't be many guests, we're skipping a reception and just having a nice dinner at a restaurant afterwards.

-Finishing the semester at school. With only a month of school left, the semester is starting to wind down. It isn't any less demanding. In fact, instructors are crazily asking for longer and more in-depth assignments. Don't they know I have other things to do?! Admittedly, I haven't spend as much time on school over the past few weeks as I should have, so I need to do some catching up in order to be ready for my final in my Cisco class.

-Becoming an Aunt! My sister had her adorable baby girl on 10/29. Check out this pretty little face!

-Gearing up for a Website Launch! I'm launching a new website hopefully at the end of this month. Sorry, no details until after the launch, but it is going to be great! I'm very excited to be able to provide such a unique and wonderful service to others.

-Celebrating the unseasonably warm fall with the fam! The fall weather here in the Midwest has been gorgeous over the last few weekends. 'Lil Bit got to play in the leaves yesterday and really enjoyed it.

We also walked around an outdoor mall and went out for pizza. 'Lil Bit LOVES pizza!

Those are just a few of the happenings going on 'round here.

More to come later!

Until next time,
-MFW

A Baker's Dozen

2009-10-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

Happy 13 Months, 'Lil Bit!

In light of her being 13 months old, here are 13 Fun Facts about 'Lil Bit.

1. Her favorite food is any kind of fruit - bananas, grapes, peaches, pears. She'll choose fruit over just about anything else.

2. Has four teeth fully in with two more that just broke through the gum.

3. LOVES to read books. How many one year olds do you know that will sit through two or three entire board books?!

4. Is super efficient at cruising the furniture but has yet to take those highly anticipated first steps.

5. Loves to be chased around the house, especially by her daddy. She squeals and giggles. It is very cute.

6. Still has her beautiful blues. The best way to describe her eyes is to have you all visualize the ocean. You know that really dark blue where the ocean meets the horizon? That would be the color of my girl's eyes.

7. Blabbers almost constantly. Dada, nana, gaga, baba and every great once in a while mama, though I sometimes think it is a conspiracy between her and The Hunk NOT to say mama. No words yet, but you'd think she was truly trying to say something by the amount of "talking" she does and how expressive she gets at times.

8. Is battling separation anxiety. :( She cries most mornings when I drop her off at daycare and even whines if I leave her sight or am just not close enough to her at home.

9. Is fairly independent (as long as she knows where Mommy is haha) and doesn't have a security blanket or lovey. She does, however, still sleep with her binky.

10. Is very into figuring out how things work like light switches, handles, levers, etc.

11. Sleeps from 7pm to 7am still, though she has fussed a couple of nights here and there in the last couple of weeks due to her molars coming in.

12. Is completely fascinated with the stairs.

13. Adds so much richness and color to her mommy's and daddy's lives that we cannot imagine our life without her.

Of COURSE I Have to Weigh In - Obama Wins the Nobel Peace Prize

2009-10-09T12:35:00.001-07:00

Normally, I try to steer away from posting political views in public because, quite franky, I get tired of reading others', so I figure I'll spare everyone else from mine. However, I just have one statement to make about Barak Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize... It is like a beauty pageant where the pretty face that says, "I wish for world peace" is given the crown. Do you actually think she DOES anything to acheive her supposed goal of world peace? Heck no, just like Barak Obama had done nothing deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize nomination just weeks after being inaugurated. It makes no sense!

I have a vision that children aren't subjected to violence, that people don't go hungry, and that those who work hard should have ample retirement without having to cover the asses of those who do not work a day in their lives.

Now then, where's MY medal?

We Are Experiencing Technological Difficulties

2009-10-09T07:19:00.001-07:00

As much as it pains me to write this entry, I promised The Hunk that I would. I've been putting it off for the past week.

My job requires me to participate in an on-call rotation. No, I'm not a doctor, but you would think so with the amount of "emergencies" we have to wake up for. This on-call duty (haha, I duty) was the entire reason I got my iPhone. (At least, that's what I tell everyone.)

When the update was finally released to allow picture messaging, I gleefully hooked up my iPhone and updated away without so much as a thought. Little did I know, the lovely iPhone Dev Team hadn't yet released the jailbreak for the new version of code I was putting on my phone. OH NOS!

When I finished the upgrade, my phone was no longer jailbroken and no longer able to be customized to be loud enough to wake my tired ass up in the middle of the night. Remember my WHOLE reason for getting the phone? Yep, there it went, and I was afraid my job would go right along with it if I didn't come up with a plan to hear any pages.

This is when The Hunk rode in on his white horse and rescued his princess. He so graciously offered to let me set up his phone to receive pages. However, as with anything, there came a price. He gave me so much shit for my iPhone not doing its job and having to rely on his technologically-prehistoric Motorola Q.

As an aside, this also reminds me of another time when he "won" and showed poor sportsmanship. The Hunk: if you're reading this, do you remember last Thanksgiving?

We played Cranium with my sisters and Uncle CAG after Thanksgiving dinner last year...girls against boys, and the guys won. The Hunk not-so-nobely got out the freakin' VIDEO CAMERA to TAPE my reaction to losing. LOL I love this man.

Thankfully, The Hunk came through for me and put up with the hundred or so pages throughout the week. I'm still waiting for the updated hack.....

'Lil Bit Turns One

2009-10-01T08:14:00.001-07:00

‘Lil Bit turned the big 0-1 last week. It is crazy to think that I’ve been a mom for a year. It’s one of those situations where you feel like it has gone by fast and slow at the same time. It’s hard to believe she’s already one, yet I feel like I adjusted to my role of being a mom so quickly that it makes it seem like it has been so much longer.

We celebrated her birthday by having a little party at our home. Both sets of grandparents were able to come, which is a huge deal since The Hunk’s parents live across the country. ‘Lil Bit even got to meet her great-grandparents who so nicely came from Ohio to be with us! They are wonderful people, and I’m so thankful to them all for making me feel like one of the fam. Plus, it was funny to see an older version of myself. The Hunk’s grandmother was cracking me up with her no nonsense attitude. I’m fairly certain that’ll be me…heck, it probably IS me already!
At any rate, the party was quite successful. I took advantage of the opportunity to try my hand at decorating a cake with fondant since there were plenty of people to help corral the little one while I baked and decorated. I was surprised at how good it turned out!

She also had a big pile of present to open, but really, she was all about the monkey bag that Cool Asian Guy got her because it laughed when you pushed a button. Way to go Uncle CAG!

Finally, I talked her into opening the bag, and she was even more excited about what was inside.

After we finished opening her presents, it was time for cake. We all stood around her in a semi-circle and began to sing "Happy Birthday." The look on 'Lil Bit's face was so funny. It was if she was thinking, "Now, what in the HECK are you all DOING?"

Then, she dug into her cupcake.

She was very messy by the time she was done. Cake was in her hair, in her nose, in her ear, all over her chest and belly, and even in her diaper.

The events of the party really wore her out, so I took her upstairs and rocked her, telling her how proud of her I am for being such a big girl.

I was a big girl, too. I only cried once. :)

Wiping off the Dust

2009-09-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

Hello, friends! I'm so sorry for the delay in posting. My multifaceted adventures have been plentiful as of late, thus preventing me from keeping up with the blog. At any rate, I'm back, and I have much to tell!

Coming up...

'Lil Bit Turns One
We are Experiencing Technological Difficulties
Adventures in Siding Shopping

So stay tuned!

Until next time,
-MFW

Meet Me On the Equinox

2009-09-14T09:31:00.000-07:00

I heard Death Cab for Cutie's new single, "Meet Me on the Equinox" for the first time this morning. LOVED it.

Completely unrealated to the song but just as cool - no, make that COOLER - than the song is the fact that 'Lil Bit's birthday is next Tuesday, which happens to be the day of the autumnal equinox. An equinox is defined as either of two times of the year when the sun crosses the plane of the earth's equator and day and night are of equal length. I can tell you that day and night didn't matter during that time. :)

We're going to have her birthday party this Sunday at our house. She will be surrounded by family, food, and a (hopefully) pretty butterfly cake. Had I been thinking properly, I might have chosen to go along with an equinox/fall theme, but I think the butterflies will look really nice, and if you think about it, it fits with the first year of life. You bring home a tiny pink bundled up so tightly, it almost looks like they're in a cacoon. Like this:

Next thing you know, they're spreading their wings and starting to fly all around the house:

Next week, when the sun is perched at its highest peak, we will be celebrating our 'Lil Bit.

Oh LAWD! Very random post for a random-feeling day.

2009-09-04T12:55:00.000-07:00

I was flipping through blogs when I came across the most disgusting, disturbing thing EVER.

I can't even tell you about it. It wasn't like "two girls, one cup" gross, but it was close. It was definitely not something I should have seen, especially while at work. I am scarred.

I think I'm a prude when it comes to things on the internet. And I'm ok with that.

This morning, I noticed something interesting on my way to work. The homeless guys that normally stand on Broadway and I-35 have been replaced by men holding signs that say, "HAVE A GREAT DAY!" Now, they could have been homeless as well, but they sure didn't seem like it. I wonder what happened to the other men...

The Hunk and I have a date on Sunday! It doesn't happen often since we are busy being parents and all, so I'm really excited.

I have been listening to Verve Pipe's "Photograph" all day. I'm afraid to look at the count, but I'm sure it is upwards of 20 times.

I'm completely convinced that Chipotle has healing powers. I've been battling a bit of a stomach bug the last few days, even missed two days of work (except for coming in at 4am the other morning...being on-call sucks). Today, I'm feeling better, and I think it's largely due to eating Chipotle for lunch. Yes, I realize it was risky to eat something so heavy, but dang it I was hungry after not wanting to eat for a couple of days. There are few things in life better than a burrito bol. I managed to make it through almost half of it. And now I'm really starting to feel better. Coincidence? No way.

The Ghost of Relationships Past

2009-09-02T10:53:00.000-07:00

In every relationship, there is a ghost of relationships past. It may manifest itself in many different ways - jealousy issues, trust issues, an ex-girlfriend that won't stop calling or e-mailing....

...or... if you're lucky enough to miss all that drama, it may manifest in the form of a planter...in the shape of a cat....

Yes, this friendly looking feline planter is on display in my house, and yes, it used to belong to The Hunk's ex-girlfriend.

Why would I possibly still have the thing when I could have easily "accidentally" broken it during the move we made last month? Because the only true way to conquer a ghost is to take away its power by acknowledging it and learning to live with it. It serves as an omen as well because I think we're very lucky that this is really the only ghost we have.

Oh, and this cat is funny. Check out the limp wrist. The Hunk occasionally mimics the limp-wristed pose and proclaims, "Gay cat! MEOW!" Oh, how he makes me giggle and snort.

The Bacon Explosion...an explosion of....my stomach!

2009-09-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

Behold the Bacon Explosion:

Not sure what you're seeing? Oh, it's a small newborn baby sized mound of sausage, bacon, and bbq sauce. Sounds heavenly, right?

This past Sunday was The Hunk's birthday. His best friend brought him a Bacon Explosion for his birthday. We couldn't believe our eyes. It was true and we didn't even have to make it. But if YOU want to, the recipe is at http://www.bbqaddicts.com/blog/recipes/bacon-explosion/

We made plans to cook the Bacon Explosion the following night. I'm fairly certain that The Hunk dreamed about the night ahead, much like children dream about Santa's visit the night before Christmas. I, on the other hand, was scared.

As Monday night arrived, the whole family got ready to experience the Bacon Explosion, even 'Lil Bit!

Don't worry, no babies were harmed in this experiment. That is pureed green beans all over her face, not bacon grease. HA!

If you're not completely wrapped up in the moment like we were, take a look at this "classic" father-daughter moment:

Yes, The Hunk wanted a picture with his daughter and the newborn baby sized mound of meat. How much more manly can ya get?!

As the Bacon Explosion was warming in the oven (it comes pre-smoked), Cool Asian Guy arrived. We waited and waited, antsy with anticipation. Finally, it was time.

Don't they look excited?

CAG (Cool Asian Guy) was given the task of carving up the roll of bacon-y splendor.

This is the inside of the Bacon Explosion:

Birthday Boy, aka The Hunk, took the first bite:

By now you're all wondering, "So how was it?" Imagine biting into a greasy block of salt. Oh it was not good, and about halfway into the slice, I was breaking out into a sweat. Maybe my heart was about to stop? Maybe my blood pressure was going haywire due to all the sodium? MAYBE BOTH!

Despite the fact that it really wasn't as decadent as we had all imagined, I'm glad we got to experience such a novelty. We had a ton of fun and laughed until our stomachs hurt...or was that another explosion?

Until next time,

-MFW

One month shy of a dozen

2009-08-25T12:39:00.000-07:00

'Lil Bit officially turned eleven months old over this past weekend. She is one crazy cool little lady, and she even looks more like a little lady instead of a baby as the months fly by.

During her eleventh month, 'Lil Bit learned more ways of self-expression, which include clapping, jabbering (even more than previous months), snuggling (when she isn't too busy), and with volume and pitch. She loves to sing little songs to herself using two or three different notes. Her little voice is just so cute. I can't wait to hear her really learn to sing a little song or to hear her say "mama" and know that it is directed towards me instead of just being jibber-jabber. Oh, and I should mention that because she's my child, she has perfect pitch and a rather wide range. Ha!

'Lil Bit has also gotten even more mobile. Although she isn't walking yet, she's getting harder to keep up with these days. She is an expert race-crawler and is cruising the furniture like nobody's business. Really, if you try to redirect her, she acts like it isn't your business...unless you smother her with kisses as you're moving her, at which time she'll grab your face, your ears, or anything else poking out of your head and bury her face into you and she squeals. She really is crazy cool.

Sometimes I'm taken back by the fact that she is perfectly fine sitting in the floor playing by herself. It doesn't seem long ago when I was writing about how it was an accomplishment just to go to the bathroom during the day, and in those days if I got a shower, it was better than I think winning the Nobel Peace Prize feels. It doesn't seem that that child should be on such a path to being such an independent little girl. It is so hard to believe that we're just one month shy of a dozen. A year!

She really is crazy cool.

One little monkey jumping on the bed!

2009-08-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

I've always said that I never want to be one of those uptight mothers that never lets her child(ren) experience anything, so this morning, I showed 'Lil Bit how to jump on the bed. No, she can't walk or jump by herself, but if I hold on to her hands and lift up as she does her little half-bounces, the result is an almost jump. Oh man, it was adorbale, and she loved flying up off the bed and then landing back on the bed on her little booty.

People at work have said I'm going to regret these types of teachings later. Last night, The Hunk, our parent educator with the Parents as Teacher's program and I all encouraged her to bang on things. Oh no! Not the furniture! Relax, take a deep breath. It's an old scratched up table that we plan on not replacing until we're old, gray, and done having kids, so go on, bang away.

While it might be true that I'll think twice later about these things, I say to them, "Lighten up!" She's not large enough to damage the bed. She's not by herself, so the chances of her hurting herself are small, and if she did hurt herself, so? Kids fall. It's how they learn. She needs to learn how to manipulate things...to learn cause and effect...how's she going to do that if I don't give her the freedom to do so?

Maybe I'm too lax, but it is a vow I've made and plan on keeping - I will not be a boring, uptight mother. That's not to say she won't have boundaries and consequences for negative/unwanted actions, just that the world will not be off limits.

So, for now, there's one little monkey jumping on the bed. Let's hope she doesn't fall off and bump her head. ;)

The written equivalent of verbal vomit

2009-08-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

Each day that I wake up, which thankfully, has been every day so far for the last 26 years and some odd days, I crave creativity. I ache to find the words, or a song, or a photograph....something...to express the depth and breadth of what I am experiencing day to day. Some days - many days - I figure it out for myself. I make up a little poem in my head, make up a little tune to sing to 'Lil Bit while I'm feeding her or changing her diaper (the last one had something to do with her pretty blue eyes), or think of something fun and interesting to blog about. Today, however, is one of those days that I just can't find anything or do anything to say or show what's in my mind. It puts me in a maliciously melancholy mood.

Sometimes I feel it has to do with having such a technical job. I'm doing lots of techy things today. Most of the time, it's awesome, and I get a thrill out of being one of the few true geeky chicks that I know, though I must admit that I don't really know many people. Yet sometimes, it's too techy, in which case I long to do something creative, like write for a living, but I can't write enough or even well enough for that to work.

Hold the freaking phone! I think I figured it out just now... I feel like I know a little about a lot of things instead of really loving just one thing and feeling passionate about it. There is only one thing in this life that I feel intesely passionate about - my family. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, I just want to remain an individual as well, ya know? Am I even making sense? But I guess I feel like that which I'm truly good at has very little to do with me. I fuck shit up at work at times (gotta love those defect meetings), I write sub-part articles and stories or can't even think of anything to write some days, and I can't pipe a rose to save my soul. But hey, I'm one damn good mom and I think I'm almost as good of a partner as I am a mom. The Hunk would have to validate that last claim.

I think if I were to do something creative today, it would be to go home and dust off my old clarinet. I haven't played it for years. Hell, I may not even remember the fingerings for all of the notes, and the sound that came out might just be awkward squaks. But I'd try to play something intense and brooding today. Almost dark. No sheet music necessary...complete improv....but it would probably just be mediocre at best.

I suppose I should just be happy being average to slightly above average in many areas and accepting that my purpose might not be to be or do anything creative. Maybe my purpose is to do for others.

My Afternoon at the Spa

2009-08-17T05:47:00.000-07:00

I spent Friday afternoon at Aveda's Par Exsalonce, enjoying the benefits of their "Rejuvenation" package, which includes a facial, 30 minute massage, and an express pedicure. Wow, did I feel rejuvenated!

After filling out a few short forms, I was taken back by Rachel, who performed my facial and massage. We walked into a small, dimly lit room with a massage table. There was a wicker chair with a bin filled with warm, bubbly water for soaking your feet. Soft music played in the background while sweet aromas filled the air. I was asked to change into a wrap and a robe.

The first service I received was the facial. Rachel worked with me to find the best treatment for my particular skin and then went to work. It was the first facial I'd ever gotten. I'll be going back for another one! It was great! My skin felt so soft.

Next, was the massage. This was also the first professional massage I'd ever gotten. At first, it almost hurt as she worked out the kinks in my shoulders and back. Apparently, I was quite tense and my muscles were all tensed up. After that, though, it was wonderful. I walked out of there feeling very relaxed...

...which is good because I had to wait 20 minutes before the lady came to do my pedicure. I'd had a pedicure before, but not one of this nature. She rubbed a salt mixture on my feet and legs to exfoliate and soften the skin. Well, it did that, but it also caused me to break out in a rash. Note to self and all those thinking of getting a pedicure: if they do the whole salt treatment thing, do not shave the night before. OUCH!

Overall, I really enjoyed going to the spa, even if I did itch for a few hours afterward. Ha!

Updated Review of the iPhone 3GS

2009-08-17T05:43:00.000-07:00

Now that I've had the phone a little longer, I published an updated review:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2054765/things_to_consider_before_purchasing.html?cat=15

A few words about "home"

2009-08-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

It isn't the four sides of the house
It isn't the three coushins on the couch
It is the two people with whom I live in the house
That make this house one fine home

Can anyone spot the fallacy?

2009-08-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

I finally got all of our belongings moved out of the old house last night. Woo hoo! The majority of it was clothing. After huffing and puffuing up the stairs six or seven times, I finally got everything hung up in the closet, which boasts lovely his and hers sides. I simply threw everything on the bottom bar for simplicity's sake until I have time to go back and organize.

So, can you tell me what's wrong with these pictures?

This is my side:

Now that you've got that in your mind, take a look at The Hunk's side:

Wait a minute! Aren't WOMEN supposed to be the closet hoggers with the super big wardrobes and millions of pairs of shoes?

That's right, ladies and gentlemen, my man has more clothes than me. By far. It's sad, really.

Being All Domestic and Stuff

2009-08-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

We're finally just about moved into the new house! Yippee! It's about time! There are still a few odds and ends at the old house, but we should have everything cleared up and cleaned up by the end of the week. I'll be so glad when we're done with this and can take a little break before diving back into the home improvement projects.

I have really been enjoying the new house so far. My new kitchen is so awesome. I've cooked dinner the last three nights on my flat top stove. It is nice to put oil in the skillet and have it STAY PUT instead of all sliding to one side of the pan.

I've also been unpacking boxes and boxes of all of our things, finding the perfect places for everything. I want to feel truly organized. That's the best part of moving - starting with a clean slate!

As I was telling a friend of mine about my newest endeavors, she said, "Wow, you're back to being all domestic and stuff." Heck yes.

I had really gotten rather lazy since having 'Lil Bit last year. Babies are a lot of work, and for the first several months, they really suck out all of your energy. However, now that she is sleeping through the night, taking regular naps, and doesn't require attention 24x7, I feel like I can get a grip on my household. I can start doing things like making decent dinners again instead of just buying the packaged skillet meals (though the Marie Calendar ones are very tasty, albeit not exactly healthy). Maybe we can actually hang some pictures up in this house to display our beautiful family portraits instead of having blank, drab walls.

I feel as if I'm not only starting with a clean slate as far as organizing the house goes. I feel like I am using our big move as an opportunity to start my life with a clean slate - to push a reset button of sorts. I miss my old domestic self, and I am excited that she's resurfacing. The Hunk and 'Lil Bit deserve it, too.

Until next time,
-MFW

What's your One Thing?

2009-08-11T08:31:00.000-07:00

Last year, around the time 'Lil Bit was born, my coworker's son was diagnosed with a tumor in his spine. He has been undergoing treatment at St. Jude's hospital in Memphis.

Throughout the last year, we've rallied together here and there in support of our coworker. Upon the diagnosis, we had fundraisers. Cards and flowers were sent. Donations were made.

As time went on, people stopped remembering to ask about Zachary. The donations and sympathetic gestures ceased. Until today.

I received an email from another coworker about an entry in the journal Zachary's parents keep about the St. Jude's Marathon in December. Zachary's aunt is walking in support of Zachary and all that St. Jude's has done for him. Again, everyone is quick to jump on the wagon to donate and support such a great cause.

I think it is wonderful that people band together in support of those they care about. However, it has me wondering... just how much different - no, BETTER - would the world be if people carried around that attitude on a daily basis instead of only in crisis?

One of the local radio stations has this segment called "One Thing." The purpose is to think of one thing you can do every day to help the environment. I propose everyone start thinking about One Thing they can do to show support for someone they care about, or if you're really feeling generous, something for a stranger. Not necessarily someone undergoing something as tragic as dealing with a sick child even, but something small, like surprising your friend with a mocha if they're having a rough day... or even if they're not.

So, what's your One Thing?

Sometimes it be that way

2009-08-06T20:13:00.000-07:00

Today is one of those days when I just plain feel burnt out on everything. It might have something to do with the little cold I have, or it could be the fact that my boss has been out of the office for the entire week, meaning I've been even more swamped than usual. Couple that with the big move that we're gearing up for and typical parenting duties, and you've got one overextended lady.

I've also noticed that I feel really, really tired most of the day. I even feel like I look really tired. I probably do! I stopped caring what I look like at any time, even when I got to work, which is not something I am proud of.

Instead of continuing to whine, I am going to come up with a game plan.

- Get more sleep. I usually do not make it to bed until at least 11:00. I'd like to push that up to 10:00 at the very latest. I've always required a lot of sleep in order to function, and I'm just not allowing myself that luxury.

- Exercise more regularly. I tend to do this in spurts. I'll go for weeks at a time without exercising one little minute. Then, I feel guilty about not exercising, so I overcompensate by exercising five times a week for a few weeks. Rinse, repeat. I need to figure out a way to be more consistent. My company is thinking of beginning group training sessions with a trainer from a local gym. Maybe from there, I can generate some workout/accountability buddies at work.

- Use my gift card to the spa that The Hunk gave me all that way back on valentine's Day. i could really use the relaxation and the break from everything.

- Give up the caffeine. It has been a vicious cycle. The more caffeine I drink, the more tired and run-down I feel.

- Eat better. I've gone back to eating anything and everything, not paying attention to whether or not it will make me feel energetic or bogged down. Case in point: This morning, I stopped at McDonald's and had a bacon, egg, and cheese buscuit and an orange juice. For lunch, I had a burrito bol at Chipotle. The Hunk made chicken, rice, and veggies for dinner. I washed both dinner and lunch down with soda. I do not want to think about the amount of calories I consumed, nor the amount of fat. I used to eat so much better, and when I did, I felt more energetic.

- Give myself a break. I'm not going to worry too much about these things until after we move. I tend to stress myself out very easily, so trying to change these habits in the middle of so many other things going on seems like a setup for failure.

-Treat myself to a little make-over. I want to do something different with my hair. I think it would be a nice way to feel refreshed in my looks. With tax free weekend being this weekend, I might get myself a few new things to wear to work. I need to put away the shorts and tennis shoes. I'm not conveying professionalism. I need to stop taking advantage of a casual dress environment and remember that it is still important to look decent for work.

Everyone has these days. It just seems like it has been months for me. I'm done feeling like crap.

Ok, I'm done with my pity party.

Until next time,
-MFW

Oh, Apple, how you disappoint and thrill at the same time

2009-08-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

I finally purchased an iPhone 3Gs yesterday. As a whole, I'm pleased with my purchase, though there are VERY simple things that I cannot accomplish that I really feel I should be able to!

1. Changing email notification sounds - Yeah...when you're in IT this is muy importante! It needs to be loud enough to wake me up from a sound sleep, and I can't even hear it during the day when I'm wide awake if I'm in the other room. And you cannot change it AT ALL without jailbreaking the phone, which AT&T and Apple really frown upon of course. Party poopers.

2. There needs to be more options available for text message notification sounds. Same thing as my comment above, only instead of 0 options, there are 5 or 6, but none of them are very loud.

3. It doesn't multitask like the Pre does. This makes me very sad. I think I should be able to continue to listen to Pandora while I check email.

4. PICTURE MAIL! COME ON AT&T GET WITH IT! Such a simple function that is not available yet. The nice people at the Apple store said they heard it was supposed to be enabled by the end of summer. We shall see. Oh well, the camera isn't any better than my Treo's was anyway.

With that being said, I still really, really dig this phone.

1. It's pretty.
2. It's slim, so I can carry it around in my pocket without some weird, uncomfortable bulge.
3. Very, very cool apps, even freebies
4. Easy to jailbreak, so you can do some cool things, like OpenSSH, which is SO COOL if you're a geek.
5. Hey, what do you know - it actually rings!

All Set for School!

2009-08-04T08:10:00.000-07:00

I gotta give props to half.com. I just bought all of my textbooks for the two courses I'm taking. I saved about $25 compared to the campus bookstore, and I bought new bookes - not used. That also includes shipping, so I don't have to trek on down to the bookstore only to stand in line for about 30 minutes. It will save me a lot of frustration.

Last night, I went to the AT&T store to check out the iPhones. Not one single salesperson helped me. That's why I hate shopping at the AT&T store. They're always SO.DANG.BUSY and have very little help. I walked around for 20 minutes and not ONE single person even said "Hello, we'll be right with you." My presence was not even acknowledged. I can't even say it is terrible customer service because it would have to at least exist in order for it to be terrible. But no. It's a complete lack of customer service.

So... I will make my way to the Apple store today. Oh joy. It's getting harder and harder to hate Apple.

Oh, also, Office Max and Stapes are doing penny deals on school supplies right now. I bought 5 packs of filler notebook paper for a nickel. Awesome. They also have dollar deals. A pack of my favorite gel pens was a buck. You just can't beat getting all of your supplies for $5. It was a super sweet deal fo' sho'. Staples also gives you a $10 off coupon on your next purchase if you spend $50, but I didn't even come close to that!

This weekend is Missouri's tax free holiday. For those of you not in Missouri, check to see if your state participates and when by going to http://singleparents.about.com/od/cuttingcosts/qt/TaxFreeHoliday.htm I'm probably going to go pick up some things for 'Lil Bit for this fall and maybe some clothes for next year since the summer clothes will all be on clearance. Gosh, I LOVE shopping, and I LOVE the tax free holiday! Mama needs a new pair of shoes!

Until next time,
-MFW

Even I Know When to Take a Break

2009-08-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

Today is my 26th birthday! To commemorate my birthday, I am doing absolutely NOTHING! (Well, I'm working...sorta...) No cleaning, no cooking, no painting. Nothing but enjoying my daughter and watching some mindless television.

The Hunk is vising a hospital in Georgia and will be back tomorrow. He sent me a fabulously mushy e-card this morning. I think my sisters are going to come over and hang out tonight so that I don't spend my birthday alone. It really makes no difference to me.

Yesterday, Daddy-o took me out to lunch. 'Lil Bit did fabulously! She was very well-behaved the entire time and cracking everyone up with her little quirks. She's hilarious! We went to Olive Garden, where I gorged on Chicken Scampi. Ever have it? You should. It's super good.

After that, we headed up to Nebraska Furniture Mart. Daddy-o gave me a gift card to use for my birthday. I purchased a huge clock, a couple of vases, and two Baby Einstein DVDs for 'Lil Bit. Then, we went back to my house and ate some sub-par cake. It wasn't so good. I will probably make my own this evening so it will be ready tomorrow to share with The Hunk. I'm going to try a new recipe for a lemon cake with raspberry filling. Yum! And since my sister took culinary arts and learned how to make roses, I'm going to have her show me what the heck I'm doing wrong.

Although I'm taking a break for the day/night, we do have a really busy week. We're getting carpet installed in the new house on Wednesday! WOO HOO! That means we'll be moving this weekend. Oh joy. Still, it will be nice to actually LIVE IN the house that we bought over 6 weeks ago.....

Welp, almost lunch time. Off to enjoy a delicious cheesy burrito with my awesome co-workers.

Until next time,
MFW

HA! I got it!

2009-08-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

Just as I said I would, I snapped a picture of 'Lil Bit this morning. The camera didn't have batteries, so I had to settle for a picture with my phone. Granted, it isn't the cutest picture since it is fuzzy and she is clearly not happy. Still, it cracks me up to walk into her room and see her standing up SO BIG! My girl is growing far too quickly!

We Like to Party!

2009-08-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

Part of the role of being domesticated involves party planning, and I've got TWO parties to plan for the month of September.

1. 'Lil Bit's FIRST birthday party! As you can imagine, I'm SUPER excited about this! This party is more of a celebration for Mom and Dad for getting through the first twelve months of parenthood than it is a birthday party since she is too young to remember. Still, I plan on having all of the staples - good food, a pretty cake, a little cake for her to eat, and fun presents! Since she's just turning one, it will be limited to family. I haven't yet pinpointed a theme as of yet.

2. Aunty C's baby shower! My younger sister is having a baby in November! I'll probably hold her shower either the last weekend in September or the first weekend in October - about six weeks before she is due. It might sound a little early, but considering the fact that I had 'Lil Bit three weeks early, I want to make sure Aunty C has plenty of time to make sure she is ready for the biggest change of her life.

Aunty C is having a baby girl, which started out as a teeny bit of a shock to her. She is tomboy and was a bit worried about how she was going to identify with a girl. However, when Aunty C was young, she used to LOVE having tea parties. Our mom, whom my niece is going to be named after (at least that's the plan for now), bought her a miniature tea set every year for Christmas. Therefore, in order to remind her that having a girl can be fun, too, I'm doing a tea party theme for her baby shower. I've been searching ebay for good deals on tea sets so we can have three or four different small sets with different types of teas in them. I'll also serve a variety of tea sandwiches, pastries, and a cake. I'm SO excited!

Helium is so cool! And this kind doesn't make you talk funny.

2009-07-31T20:19:00.001-07:00

I recently signed up as a writer on Helium.com. It is SO addicting! The basic premise is that you search for titles you know about and submit original writings. There is also a creative writing section for works like poems, short stories, essays, and novel exerts. Even more fun is picking a pen name! I chose Lillian Jensen.

So far, I've only submitted three writings, but I spent the better part of the afternoon collecting titles and suggesting other titles.

With so many things going on in my life, my writing had/has really suffered as of late. I hope that this will encourage me to pick it back up again. I am not overly impressed with anything I've submitted yet, but I know it will come in time.

In the meantime, you can read my work here: http://www.helium.com/users/527843/show_articles

Pandora Woes, A Stinky House, and Phone Wars

2009-07-30T07:44:00.000-07:00

Here it is, July 30th, just one day shy of a month, and I've officially maxed out my 40 hours of Pandora usage. For those of you who have never used Pandora, it is an internet radio. I have been an avid fan for over two years now.

With the rise in royalty rates, Internet radio companies are beginning to have to adjust the amount of listening they offer for free. Pandora has instituted a 40 hour limit per month before they give you the option of paying $0.99 for the rest of the month or upgrading to Pandora One for $36 annually.

I was fairly certain I'd hit the 40 hour limit. I listen to Pandora quite frequently as I'm working away at my desk. I listen to it at home while I do chores. I was even excited at installing the Pandora app on my iPhone (whenever I get it).

I'm surprised that I lasted almost the entire month. I've really tried to ration my usage, but it's just so hard. Many of my friends and even my own fiance are being babies about the whole thing and switching to Slacker Radio. Lame! You can't even thumbs down songs or shelf them for a month.

I still really dig Pandora. I refuse to pay for it, though. So that's my cunundrum.

Last night, the Hunk and I went to the new house to do some more painting. He had gone the night before to spray some OdorBan stuff he bought to kill the lovely cat piss smell that has permeated every surface in the house. Ripping out the old carpet has helped, but you still get a whif of it every so often. As we walked through the house last night, we didn't smell any cat! Insert dancing banana icon here! However, our happiness was smashed to smitherines shortly after we turned on the air conditioner. The house smells like cat piss. Again. The Hunk and I are very, very discouraged. Our next step is to have all of the ducts cleaned. After that, I may just burn the whole thing down. Nah, just kidding.

The Hunk is up for a possible promotion at work soon. One of the perks would be a company cell phone. He thinks he's going to go with the new Palm Pre. I also get a new cell phone whenever I make up my mind. I am considering going with Apple's iPhone, just to spite the Hunk. Is that terrible? Haha! However, as a long-time self-proclaimed Apple hater, I'm having a hard time taking the plunge. I loved my Treo, but it is dying a slow and painful death. It doesn't ring anymore, nor does it play a notification when I get more than one email simultaneously, which tends to happen a lot when you're in IT. Sigh... poor little Treo. Either one seems like a great option for a multi-tasking fiend such as myself. But yeah, I think there are going to be some major competitions arising if I get the iPhone and the Hunk gets the Pre. I am looking forward to it!

Well, all, I'm off to do some work.

Until next time,
-MFW

The Difference Between Mommies and Daddies

2009-07-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

Each morning, my fiance and I (I still need to think of a clever way to refer to him here...hmmm....) take turns either taking a shower or tending to our daughter, 'Lil Bit. There are pros and cons to both scenarios. i find that it is easier to wake up for the day when I start my day with a scolding hot shower. I get to wake up slowly and gradually. Then again, 'Lil Bit is a morning person, and she's TOO freakin' cute when she first gets up and is SO excited to make your day with a beautiful two-tooth smile. This morning, it was my turn to take a shower first and his turn to give 'Lil Bit her bottle and change her diaper.

After I was all showered and dressed, I walked into the baby's room to say good morning. She was all curled up with Daddy in the rocking chair, happily gulping down Part I of her breakfast between fits of giggles when he would tickle her toes. I kissed her forehead, then his forehead, and then I was reminded of one of the differences between mommies and daddies.

"When I came in this morning, she was standing up in her crib, staring over the side, looking at her binkies" he explained.

Now, granted, I've seen her pull up on stuff many, many times, and I have many, many pictures. Like this one:

However, in a mother's eyes, it is a huge milestone to walk into your little tyke's room, only to find them greeting you in a standing position. You can bet your arse I would have taken a picture of this happening.

The difference here is that moms have to capture every single first with photographic evidence, while dads seem content filing it away in the recesses of their memory. Why do you think it is Mom that is usually in charge of updating the baby book?

So, yeah, until I get this monumental occasion on camera, there will not be any turn taking in the morning. I will drag myself out of bed, camera in hand, and I will sneak into her room, ready to snap the picture.

Call me crazy, but it's just the difference between mommies and daddies.

A Word About Band-Aids

2009-07-27T14:59:00.001-07:00

As I said in my introductory post, I had to go to the pharmacy last night. Normally, I wouldn't blog about such a mundane event. However, there were a couple of funny caveats to this particular occurrence of said normally mundane event.

It was around 9:00pm last night when my darling hunk of a fiance came through the front door, holding a terry cloth towel wrapped around his finger. He had been at our new house, ripping up old carpet. See, we purchased a house in mid-June that needed new carpet, lots of paint, and just a ton of help in general. Fun times.

Of course, it isn't every day you see your fiance dripping with sweat, not because of the physical labor required to rip up carpet but because he feels like he's going to pass out from loss of blood, so I was instantly a little bit worried just looking at the blood stained cloth and his pale face. It's funny that I can watch shows on the Discovery Health Channel and think they are cool, but if I see a tiny bit of blood coming out of someone I remotely care about, I get a bit nervous.

I sat him down on the couch and brought him a glass of ice water. He asked me for a band-aid. Now, as any mom knows, band-aids should be a staple in any household, right? Would you believe that I did not have ONE SINGLE band-aid?! Immediately, I was stressed out. It's funny what things trigger stress in this MFW.

I grabbed some keys and hopped in the car, speeding down the road... to buy band-aids. Luckily, I did not get pulled over.

But....

As I pulled up the CVS, there was a homeless guy sitting outside the door, asking for change. Instead of asking me for spare change, he asked, "Ma'am, is everything ok? You look like someone is about to die." "Sorry! Can't talk now. MUST.BUY.BAND-AIDS!"

He was quite nice. Oh, and did you know there are Band-Aids with antibiotic cream built in? How handy is that?!

After picking up the band-aids, I went over to the house to turn off lights. And as I opened up the garage door, this is what I saw:

What a mess! I mean, really, it's a good thing we're making some real progress on getting everything finished, but wow... this is one thing that band-aid of any sort, literal or figurative, won't fix.

The good news is that my house is now stocked with band-aids of all shapes and sizes. Crisis averted.

Until next time,
-MFW

What I Am

2009-07-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

Greetings! Welcome to the new digs! I hope you enjoy your stay. After much pestering from friends, I've decided to go public with my crazy antics, ridiculous aspirations, and helpful tidbits of information on how to properly be domesticated.

Yesterday, while on the way home from the pharmacy (more on that later), Edie Brickell's "What I Am" came on the radio, and I thought, "Wow, what a perfect thing to ponder for my introductory blog post." So... yeah...here goes!

I am the typical multi-faceted woman. You see many of us walking down the street, perusing library shelves, grabbing a latte at Bucky's (and stashing the receipt in the trash so our significant others don't figure out that we are STILL spending way too much money on coffee), taking kiddos to Story Time at Barnes and Noble (hey, there's a Bucky's! How convenient!), picking up dry cleaning, taking classes, applying a new shade of lipstick... you name it, we're there. We're the career-minded, organizationally gifted, Super Moms and Super Significant Others. Or so it seems. On the outside, we look almost super human. Our hair is brushed, our clothes are not wrinkled, our kids are well-fed, well-dressed, and semi-well-mannered. But how do we do it?

For me, it is having the support of my wonderful fiance and knowing that I am not defined by how clean my kitchen is, how often I get my hair cut (wow, it's been quite a while...), or even how many times I've been promoted. It's finding the short-cuts where you can, but it is also not skimping on things you shouldn't.... like serving take-out on your finest china on a table set nicely with a real table cloth, fresh flowers, and maybe even a candle or two. You don't have to cook, yet you feel like the meal is special because the kid is in bed, and it's just you and your partner, munchin' on some chinese from Master Wok.

The truth is, we get by. We do the best that we can each day, and we've learned to settle for that. Some days it doesn't seem to be enough. Some days, I think to myself, "Gosh, I have about five more things on my to-do list that I really should do before I get to bed." Other days it's, "Today was hella productive! I am THE multi-faceted woman!"

If you look up the word faceted, the all-knowing Google will tell you that a facet is "a tiny surface polished onto a rough diamond that gives a finished diamond its shape. The way light interacts with these facets affects a diamond's brilliance and sparkle."

I think the same is true for women. We're "polished" - domesticated if you will - until we have so many surfaces that it is hard to see them all at once. But if they're polished in just the right fashion, the result is one fabulous diamond of a woman.

Until next time,
-MFW