Thursday, January 27, 2011

The food wars

What do you do with a picky eater? I am at the end of my rope with princess and the toddler is starting to pick up her attitude. The other night she refused to eat lasagna because it would "make her poop even harder than it is". Last night she said my chicken Alfredo was "the grossest thing ever".

My mom and dad keep trying to bribe her to eat more by offering food but I just don't want to go that route :(


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Monday, January 24, 2011

I don't wanna go home

In case anyone was wondering. I miss my family but this is paradise...plane leaves in 5 hours. :(



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Sunday, January 23, 2011

Reflections

As a navy wife I spend a lot of time NOT thinking about what could happen. I just can't. I know that my husband does things that he just can't talk about it, I just have to keep it out of my head.

Today we went to the USS Arizona memorial and I had to think more than I wanted to.










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More pictures from today.

Amazing beach




Amazing pool




Pupu



Pelican



One for each hand




Why why why???




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Saturday, January 22, 2011

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Making things work for the kids

I used to love my minivan. I'm not sure what happened but I feel like we have drifted apart. My uterus on wheels - it kept my kids safe and secure where ever we would go.

Poor Betsy is getting older. I have to say I haven't felt the love since her transmission went. Honda replaced it and she is supposedly as good as new but it's not the same.

I hate taking her in for service. She has 115,000 miles and they are always trying to sell me stuff. The last big visit ran over $1200. So I avoid taking her in because I am scared it will cost money which probably leads to little issues becoming bigger.

This is changing. I am going to be a good car owner. She will get regular maintenance. I will check the tire pressure (I hate hate hate hate hate doing that). She will be washed and vacuumed regularly. As in a couple times a month not a couple times a year. And she will get a full interior detail as soon as I find a good enough deal :)

She is getting her oil changed right now at a place across the street from my work. I'm hoping this is what it takes to save my relationship. We gotta do it for the sake of the kids...

Friday, January 14, 2011

Operation tea party

It's official -I'm taking back the tea party! Princess is having a garden tea party for her 7th birthday.

So obvious issues.

1 I don't own a tea pot.

2 I don't have garden seating

3. I don't know what I am doing.

More to come.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

The ugly truth

I got to work early so I could do my makeup and I decided to take before and after pictures.

Here it is. No makeup. Blotchy skin bags under the eyes. This is me.







So let's start with those bags under the eyes












And we need to even things out a bit












Eyes are next












And then lips






And then we have the final look







I am always looking for product reccomendations so if you have any please let me know.


Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Sweet Valley Confidential 10 years later

i read every single book as a kid. I spent my junior high years in eager anticipation of the next book. I knew Jessica and Elizabeth better than I knew my friends. I finally outgrew the books in 9th grade when I found out that my high school was nothing like sweet valley high.

So i was greatly amused to see "sweet valley confidential 10 years later" on goodreads. The book doesn't come out until march but I was able to download the first chapter. It was just as corny as ever! Oh and 10 years - try 20 years people. The twins are older than me thankyouverymuch!

Is it bad that I will buy this as soon as it's released?

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Monday, January 10, 2011

My favorite things...

This weekend I had a full on freak out moment. I thought I lost my makeup bag. All of my favorite things are in this bag. I was so relieved to find it in my drawer at work.

In the bag -
My favorite eye shadow palate
My favorite brushes
My eye shadow primer
And - my hello kitty MAC compact



I am so relieved I don't have to replace my makeup!

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Sunday, January 9, 2011

Weekly fitness update

1 1/2 hours Zumba

1 hour "Amp'd Up Abs"

4 hours dance class

2 hours on the Eliptical

30 minutes line dance class

2 hours climbing a "mountain" (glorified hill!)

Which is all wonderful.  So lets not talk about the food this week :)

Friday, January 7, 2011

Cookie guilt

I swore to myself I wouldn't be spreading myself as thin with volunteering but now I have cookie guilt.  Last year I was cookie mom and it almost killed me.  This year I have offered to help with anything but I refuse to be cookie mom again.

So maybe I wont be spreading myself way too thin this year, burning the candle at both ends, but by golly my kiddo is going to sell a lot of cookies.  Who needs cookies????

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Over the hump!

Two days until the weekend!

I am looking forward to
1.  Dance workshop.
2.  Hanging out with friends.
3.  Picking up the husband at the airport.

Just need to make it two more days.

The negotiator.

Toddler from hell may be a little harsh.  Plus he's 3 1/2 so he really isn't a toddler.  But I'm not sure where our surprise caboose baby fits into the grand scheme of things.

This kid is smart.  Smarter than all of his siblings.  And the funny thing is his siblings are have gifted level IQs.  He blows them all out of the water.  Nothing gets past him and he will call you on everything.  He also thinks everything is up for negotiation. 

Example:  Toddler from hell is tucked into bed.  5 minutes later toddler from hell slips downstairs and is sitting on the sofa because he's "not tired".  Toddler is told that it doesn't matter that he's not tired, it's bed time and he needs to get into bed.  Toddler responds that he will not be going to bed.  Toddler is told that if he doesn't get his butt into bed immediately, he will be carried upstairs and put into bed and lose his favorite toy for the next day. Toddler then informs his mother that he no longer loves her because she makes him do things he doesn't want to.

So.  I think he will officially be known as The Negotiator.  Imagine William Shatner in the priceline commercials, but as a cute lucid 3 year old. 

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Nothing compares to Nanas cooking

And she will pack it to go. Lad nah and pad see ew.




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The hair of the dog

Well not literally I hope. I have been suffering from "bad belly" for the last day or two. Not sure why but today I was craving a chorizo burrito. So - I figure this will either kill me or cure me. Either way it tasted amazing.



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Tippy Tappy with a song in my heart

It's TUESDAY!  I'm so happy I could dance a jig!  Actually I think I will dance a jig.  Our dance studio has been closed for two long weeks for the holidays and we FINALLY get to go back today.

If you are new, I started Irish dance as an adult over 12 years ago and it's become a huge part of who/what I am.  Unfortunately adult dancers do not have the full support of the dance community.  I have days when I wish I would have started dancing as a child but I remind myself that my journey is MY journey and I need to love MY journey. 

Enough about that.  I have a set dance to learn.  And a hornpipe.  And I can't wait!

Monday, January 3, 2011

Cruising

Borrowing Hubbys car Elsa the A6. The gay guy at starbucks loved the car and told me I look hot in it. So much more fun than the minivan.



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Crazy talk

Welcome to a crazy rambling post.  Mondays just make me feel a little manic.  This Monday is going to suck more than most.

1.  The Hubster is in Hawaii for a week for work.  Oh life is tough when you have to WORK in Hawaii.  With no kids and no family.  He's had to do this several times so he's over it but I am still allowed to be jealous.  Especially when he's roasting in 82 degree weather while So. Cal is having freak blizzards.

2.  The kiddos go back to school after 2 weeks of vacation.  Princess goes back to dance class.  Toddler from hell has had his schedule totally jacked up in the last month because of the holidays and the in-laws visit and he does not react well to changes.

3.  Work.  I love the fact that my new job provides a challenge but I have days when I wish it wasn't so much of a challenge.  I love what I do.  I love the people I work with.  But why can't I lay in bed and eat bon-bons all day???

Enough whining - bring on Monday!

Sunday, January 2, 2011

ONE more goal!

Trying to slip this one in.

The one thing I can't tolerate are those who are intolerant.  Therefore I can't tolerate myself sometimes.  So.  Going forward, I will be more tolerant of the intolerant - no matter how wrong they are!

Testing 1 2 3

Is this thing on?

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Finally

Not copied from Facebook

Time - Repent Harlequin said the ticktockman.  The ticktockman would have a field day with me.  I am not known for my time management skills and I tend to over extend myself.  I am armed with a firm "no" and I am not afraid to use it!

Work - I will get CEB and PMI certified.  I will I will I will.  When?  No clue.  But I WILL!

and last but not least - I will practice what I preach.  I will put the cap back on the toothpaste.  I will turn off the light when I leave the room.  I will rinse my dishes and I will practice my dance!

Resolutions - Continued

Also copied from Facebook

Moving on.

Family - I will spend more time enjoying my family even especially the ones who drive me nuts.  I will take more time to appreciate all of the things my husband does for us and I will play dolls with the princess and cars with the toddler from hell.  I will spend more time chasing down Thing 2s grades and will attempt to bond with Thing 1 when he sees fit to grace the family with his presence.  And I will not let my mom drive me nuts.  Yeah right.

Friends - I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.  It's always been hard for me to make friends and just talk/relate to people in general.  I need to do a better job of staying in sync with my friends from my past.

Fitness - This one is a hard one for me.  I'm torn between not wanting to focus on numbers and wanting to be the same size I was in high school by the reunion.  And by size I mean the same measurements not the same dress size because thanks to vanity sizing I am technically a size smaller than I was back then and believe me my ass is WAY bigger than it was when I was 17.  I always feel like I am walking a fine line between being fitness conscious and obsessed and I don't know what the best solution is.

Food - My food goal is to learn how to cook one of Nana's famous meals each month.  I'm not sure if this is possible - see note above re: Family.  I will also use the amazing opportunity that was handed to me on "Constipation Christmas" to get as many new foods into my ultra picky 6 year old while she is willing to eat anything that has fiber in it.   Seriously - she's eaten zucchini and Brussels sprouts and broccoli this week - and this is the child who used to freak out at any kind of green food.  Girlfriend is still hurting and I swear she'd eat a twig if I told her it would help her poop.

Still to be continued....

New Years Resolutions

Copied from Facebook


The other day, Lori asked what our new years resolutions were and I said that I didn't have any.  It's true enough, I don't have any specific resolutions for the new year, however I do have some life goals that I am working towards and I thought it was time to share them. I may have to break this up into sections since it's lengthy.

1.  Reading/Writing/Arithmetic. The three R's(?)

Reading - I haven't been able to sit down and read a book for fun in years.  I used to have my nose in a book 24/7 but now my reading is limited to technical manuals and Wikipedia pages.  This needs to change.  I am going to try to read two books a month going forward, one "thinking" book and one "brain candy" book.  I'm not sure where I will find the time or where to start but this changes this month.

Writing - Long ago, when I had my nose in a book 24/7 I wanted to be a writer.  That's obviously not going to happen.  However, I am going to commit to writing more than the occasional Facebook status update.  I think I am going to finally get around to starting a blog.  Maybe.  Maybe not.

Arithmetic - I am going to get my spending in check and under control.  This means I am going to cut out waste.  This is a work in progress but I think I can do it.  Starbucks - old friend - you and your happy baristas are the next to go.  I brought home two bottles of creamer from the store and I am going to be making coffee at home.

To be continued....