Sorry babe. He's just not into you...

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

A classic tale.

Girl meets boy.

Boy could care less.

The End.

The Secrets Held by Little Boys' Pockets

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Little boys' pockets hold magical things

Earthworms, apple cores, a mess of strings,
but this treasure is nothing to the wealth one find's
in little boys' hearts and little boys' minds.

Author Unknown

A Wedding Story

One of the qualities I love about my best friend is her ability to spin the most stressful of situations into an amusing story and tell it like it's no big deal.

She find the good in everything, or at the very least, the punchline...

I also love that she is one of the few girls I know who isn't drama. She has no need to make things any more complicated or emotional than they need to be.

Naturally, one would imagine that planning a wedding in a foreign country and in a language with its very own alphabet would have shaken that.

After all, my traditional and in town wedding was horrendous enough to plan, but that's because I'm related to crazies...

Even when their wedding date had to be postponed (a few times), international travel had to be arranged, and the reception venue fell through at the last minute, my best friend kept her cool and good nature through it all.

Talking to her, you'd never know all the hoops that they had to jump through to get their marriage recognized and certified in both the US and Greece.

Being the Greek-speaking one of the couple, her fiancé sorted a lot of the details, and as if that wasn't enough work, he was still concerned about our plans--making sure that our hotel was on the up and up, that we were getting good fares , and that we enjoyed ourselves.

Of course, how could we NOT enjoy ourselves. I mean, just look at where we were...

Unfailingly gracious, both of them (and their families) kept thanking for coming "all the way to Greece" for their wedding and telling us how much it meant to them that we were there especially considering that our life is in a complete upheaval at the moment...

Like we would have missed the biggest day in our best friends' lives for anything. Their wedding could have been over a trough in a barn in Kansas and Hubby and I still would have been happy... nay, THRILLED to be there.

Fortunately for us it was on a balcony overlooking the Mediterranean at sunset and it was gorgeous.

The bride was completely radiant and the groom was so handsome as their spoke the vows they had written in English, then again in Greek.

My best friend was a bridesmaid at my wedding and my roommate at the time. She witnessed the whole fiasco front and center from the arguments over the length of my veil to my mother and mother-in-law competing for "biggest pain in the ass".

Still my best friend's only recollection of that entire process was how I looked the day I got married- the expression on my face when when I walked down the aisle and the quiet, nervous moments she and I shared before.

She and her fiancé ended up catching the garter and bouquet at our wedding, which was extra funny since they actually met the same night Hubby and I did. It makes for a great story at dinner parties, but it's hardly ever the one that she tells.

Instead she tells everyone to story of how happy and amazed and excited she was for me that day. She says that she'd never seen me that calm and peaceful before and she was completely moved by it. Of course, I always took it as more of her good nature.

I've been a guest at my fair share of weddings. I've cried. I've gushed. I've forgotten all about it the next day, but this wedding was different.

I never really understood what she was always fussing about until I saw the expression on her face as they exchanged their vows. I'll never forget how that felt. It was the joy of seeing two people you really, really love so happy and so in love on the most special day of their life...

It was something I'll probably never stop gushing about either.

I love you, "Beppie" and "Ricki", and I wish you all the best and happily ever after.

Fishing Boat Wanted

About two years ago, my best friend since high school got engaged while vacationing in Puerto Rico.

Then, as if THAT wasn't exciting enough, she and her fiancé decided to get married in Greece, where the groom is from, but not just Greece. Oh no! They decided to get married on Santorini...

So, you know that image you get of when you think of Greece?

Amazing sunsets. White-washed buildings with bright blue roofs. All of it set against an even brighter and bluer sea and sky... That's Santorini.

When they first told us about their wedding plans, Hubby and I were brand new parents at the time. I had just decided to quit my job and money was really tight but, we decided go anyway. In fact, we planned to spend an entire week in Greece with the wedding finishing off our vacation.

"Why not?" we thought, "Who knows when we'll be able to get back to Europe again..." HA! Okay, so we all know the punchline to that joke...

Incidentally, our week-long vacation had to be reduced to a weekend since Hubby couldn't take that much time off from his new job... which was fine, since I had a house to sell and a house to find.

Having made our flight and hotel arrangements well in advance, it took some doing to rearrange everything. That's a whole other post in itself, by the way...

The earliest we could leave London was Thursday night after Hubby got off work, which meant a 3 AM layover in Athens and arriving in Santorini at the crack of dawn.

We were crazy delirious and seriously sleep-deprived, but it was ALL worth it.

Santorini was even more breathtaking that I ever imagined. If my son wasn't waiting for me back home, I never would have come back.

As my postcards read:

We're trading in the station wagon for a fishing boat. We plan to spend the rest of our days sailing from island to island, eating whatever we catch along the way.

Please don't bother forwarding our mail. We just don't care anymore...

(To be continued...)

Parenting Holiday

One of the benefits of staying at my parents' house is access to all of the *free* cable I could ever want...

We gave up paying for cable when we no longer had the attention span for long, leisurely afternoon TV marathons. Basically when we became parents...

"How can you live without cable?" our friends always ask us.

"We just do," we always say.

So anyway.... all the free cable I want, right? So, natuarally, I've been obsessing over Jon & Kate Plus 8. I LOVE this show!

Yeah. I know. I know. Umm, heee-llo. Where have you been?

I may have been living under a rock, but I think I've watched practically every episode in just one weekend. Like I said, obsessed!

I just can't decide if this show make me feel smug or inadequate as a mom. Okay, "smug" is the wrong word... but, definitely inadequate.

I mean, I've been feeling trampled by my ONE toddler lately. I can't even imagine SIX... I guess that's why they have a show on TLC and I don't.

My husband has been gone for over a week now, and even though my parents have been great, it just not the same. First of all, there are no rules at my parents' house- no bedtimes, no set mealtimes, and... again, cable 'til your eye fall out.

My parents play the role of indulgent grandparents very well... as is their right, but that leaves me to be the "bad cop"... all... the... time. I'm so much better at being the "good cop"...

Well, good cop or not, I'm big on predictable daily routines and schedules and I know all too well that my parents simply... are NOT.

I don't expect my parents to change for my sake. However, I would prefer if they weren't the ones yelling and screaming "No, no, no. Not yet..." when I announce it's time for bath, books, and bed...

So in spite of what critics (and random commenters) have to say about "Jon & Kate", I love this show because it's what parenting as teamwork is all about.

It's not pretty and sometimes, not particularly polite, but at least everyone's on the same page and I miss that.... A LOT.

Home Sweet Home

It's strange and somewhat disconcerting to look at your house through the eyes of potential buyers...

Everyone thinks they have good taste, but thanks to pretty much any show on the TLC network, we all know otherwise. Of course, you start with the best of intentions when you buy a house. (We certainly did.) You start off with a "big" empty house, then you purchase furniture and art work. You inherit some patio furniture and buy a grill. You talk about renovating and replacing...then life gets in the way.

Next thing you know, you have a toddler who leaves crumbs on the sofas, scuffs the hardwood floors, and spills milk on the carpet. So, what's the point of replacing any of it anytime before he leaves for college?

It was L- O- V-E the first time we set foot in our house. The beautiful hardwood and slate floors, the spacious yard, the enormous closet in the master bath, and the charming French doors leading into the study... there was a lot to love, but it still was no where near our "dream house".

For starters, the water heater had to be replaced two weeks after we signed the mortgage. Then, there was the matter of the hideous wall paper and borders throughout the house, and the broken ladder up to the attic. Ugh!

We took down the border and repainted in the study right away, but it's four years later and we still haven't quite gotten around to doing the same thing to the bathrooms or the kitchen. (We never replaced the ladder up to the attic either...)

These days, we hardly notice it anymore-- the wallpaper, not the ladder. Perhaps we've even grown to admire it as one of the house's little quirks. That is, until it was time to put in on the market again...

We can't help it. We look around and all we think of are the good times we've had here. It's the first house we ever owned together and the place where we brought our son home. It's where he learned how to crawl and eventually how to walk, then run. We think about how proud we are to call it ours.

We were initially attracted to this house because the open floor plan is great for parties, and we've certainly thrown our fair share of them... There have been so many happy occasions that we've celebrated within these walls with friends who never know when it's time to say "good-night". It was okay, though. We certainly didn't mind opening "just one more bottle of wine" and keeping them entertained late into the night.

It's difficult to separate all of that from what a potential buyer only sees...

The hardwood floors that ought be refinished, and the hideous (and now, painfully outdated) wallpaper that goes floor to ceiling in the kitchen.

Some months ago, when we were looking to move to a bigger house (but not necessarily "across the pond"), I asked a real estate agent to evaluate our home and provide some pointers on things to update, renovate, or just get rid of in order to fetch a better selling price.

I feverishly cleaned, polished, and picked up before she came over, and her only words of advice...

De-clutter. Hmphf!

home, sweet home

Our New To Do List

No time to be sad,

We've got many things to do.
Like do "hide-and-seek".

Run around outside,
and other big boy stuff like
playing catch the ball!

Today, we're going
to the ZOO! How great is that!
Hope it doesn't rain....

Com'on Dad! Mom, too!
I like having you at home.
Birthday wish come true!

Umm, did I mention to you that my son is happy to have BOTH of his parents at home all day? Scratch that. He is OVER THE MOON GA-GA about it. The tyke wakes up all smiles everyday and all the time. He loves playing with Mommy and Daddy.... all...day...long.

We have been joking that Hubby losing his job all of a sudden was our son's super secret birthday wish come true.

I just knew he blew out those candles a little too well...

The kid obviously doesn't know what it really means when Daddy and Mommy both unemployed and I don't plan on explaining it to him anytime soon. He's two. All he knows is that...

1. ....there's always a playmate!
   
2. ...with all of his activities cut, we're to-ge-ther... all... the... time. Bonus!
   
3. No more going out to eat means no more strange high chairs and being on best behavior
4. No more shopping for Mommy means no more sitting in carts for hours on end
   
5. ... No more dressing rooms
6. ... No more "We'll leave in a sec, Honey"
   
7. ... No more "just browsing"

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Being a kid is so much FUN!

Haiku: S.W.A.K and Written By Mommy

Whew- hew! To all who
hung through birthday installments
one , two, even, three.

Then, there were the posts
all about the planning, too!
So many details!

Boy! I'm glad that's through.
Even though you still came back,
no doubt, you are too!

With that behind us
there's just one more thing to do...
Say "Thank You", of course.

I love stationary --thank you cards, invitations, note cards, lined envelopes, etc. If it's personalized, customized, and paper, I LOVE it!!!

I also (secretly) enjoy writing thank you cards as if they were penned by my son. (My two-year-old son...) I write them as I imagine he would talk to another toddler, print and use big letters, and even sign them with "Your Pal, A----".

If I had received something like this before I had a child, I would have rolled my eyes and pretended to gag. I would have passed it around the table at happy hour and made all my childless, single friends read it and they would have gagged, too.

I realize it's dorky. It's silly. It's clearly very obnoxious (even though all of my mommy friends do it, too), but nothing amuses me more. Fortunately, I get to write plenty of thank you cards following the windfall that was my son's birthday!

Ha-Ha, and you thought I really wouldn't bring up my kid's birthday ever again... Okay, last time. I promise.

So 'fess up. Are you obnoxious, too?

For more Haiku Friday, check out A Mommy Story and Playgroups are No Place for Children.

Birthday v2.0: Part-ies

If you missed the first installment, you can find it here. The second installment is here. For those of you rolling your eyes, I promise to find something other than my son's birthday to blog about soon...

So yesterday when I said that our ride on Thomas the Tank Engine with his six friends from playgroup was supposed to be my son's only big birthday celebration, I wasn't lying... exactly. In an effort to keep things simple, it was supposed to be the only thing...

Before I heard about "Day Out With Thomas", Hubby and I considered taking a family trip to SeaWorld in San Antonio over his birthday weekend. While it probably would have been just as expensive as throwing a party (or two parties in this case), it would have been LESS insane to plan for...

You see, I actually abhor the "bigger is better for birthdays" philosophy. We have just as much fun at parties held in a backyard or at the park as we do at Chuck E Cheese or the Wiggly Play Center. With so many parents turning their noses at big-budget kid's parties, it’s more of a statement if you don't have one too.

I feel absolutely no need to compete with any of the other parents we know. If anything, they would have to compete with us, because no matter how much we say that we want keep things low-key and small, we can't help ourselves. The word "simple" just isn't in our vocabulary.

We look at it this way... We have been blessed with so many wonderful friends and an awesome family, we LOVE throwing parties, and we adore our son. So what better excuse to invite all of our friends to a party for our son than his BIRTHDAY?! And that's where things start to unravel...

Next thing you know I'm stressing over the societal implications of our party favors, staying up late to mix party CDs, and antagonizing my local bakery...

Amidst the frenzy of planning and preparing, I kept asking myself, "who am I really do this for?" I mean, here I am dragging my son along to pick out birthday hats and balloon, instead of taking him to the park... "Is this really worth it?"

All it takes is this happy little face to know that it was!

"Thank you, Mommy. You throw a great party and have such shiny hair!"

But still... Next time when I promise to keep things smallish, simple, and low-key, do me a BIG favor and please hold me too it.

By the way, Gymboree did a FANTASIC job with the 12 two-year-olds, 3 baby sisters, 2 big brothers, and 1 five-year-old cousin that ended up making it to the party, as you can probably tell from the photos.

They were so imaginative, warm, and engaging. The best part? They took care of everything once we got there, which means no messy colored frosting on my walls and kitchen floor.

"The Invisible Mom "

Okay, so I'm totally ripping a lovely bit of inspiration found on Mom Logic (awesome site, by the way. Woot! Woot!) and reposting it here...

I don't normally forward stuff like this, but it really moved me. I was literally tearing up and everything. Now, it could have TOTALLY been because I was kinda in a mood yesterday.

Come to think of it, so was my son... think there's any correlation???

Anyway, I e-mailed it to my playgroup and another mommy group to which I belong and the response was overwhelming. There were tears and thank yous....and more tears...

So, I wanted to share it with you too (just in case, someone hasn't already):

The Invisible Mom

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously not.

No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated suma cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read—no, devour—the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

Share this with all the Invisible Moms you know.

This is an excerpt from Nicole Johnnson's book The Invisible Woman.

What Passes for a "Crazy Night" at the Casa de D

"YOU'RE the fun one???" my sister-in-law once asked in utter disbelief. "Why yes I am," I tartly responded (the "yeah, bitch" was implied). Actually, no one believes I'm the "fun one".

Well, good cop, bad cop. Fun one, strict one... whatever you want to call it, I AM the instigator of the good times around here.

Come to think of it, neither one of us is truly the "strict" one. We both agree on discipline and dole it out when needed. (united front, united front, united front) My husband just wouldn't think of, much less allow, stuff like finger painting the tub...

He was however impressed that we cleaned up afterwards-- baby and tub.

My husband handles the bedtime routine at night, giving me time to blog a nice break in the evenings. Having to do it alone has become super stressful, so I've just made going to sleep optional. He likes to wait up for his Daddy anyway. We both do.

So, I just leave the light on and let him look at books in his crib until my husband comes home to enforce bedtime again...

My husband would also never allow our son and his friends to play golf inside the house. At least the kids were in their pj's already... or maybe they've been wearing them all day. Hmm...

my son and his BFF, either golfing or jousting

Like it matters. Did I mention that these kids just had ice cream for dinner? They didn't want to eat the healthy stuff. No one was here to back me up and I was too tired to make them eat it on my own. Yeah, I have no idea why people let me watch their kids either...

This is just the sort of stuff that happens when my husband starts having to spend all of his time at the office. We miss him, but a little chaos and madness seem to make the hours until he's home (to put an end to the chaos and madness) fly by just a bit faster...

While I'm Away...

On the way to my son's doctor appointment, we passed by an office where I used to work. The company has since moved out of the building, but its name can still be clearly seen on the sign out front. It was my first job out of college and I remembered how it felt walking in there. My own desk, my first business cards, my first promotion...

Suddenly, I was hit with an all-to-familiar pang of missing my career, and I wondered to myself, "Would I ever go back?"

My husband has been working some crazy hours lately- weekends, early meetings, and late nights. Although barely seeing him has been difficult, I was just marveling at how much easier it is has been to have one of us at home.

No juggling day care pick ups, no fast food/take out meals, and no running errands on weekends. The bills are paid in a timely manner, the trash is taken out, and the beds have crisp, clean sheets... Basically, things that I'm embarrassed to admit didn't happen when we both worked and didn't even have a child in the mix.

I L-O-V-E being a SAHM, but sometimes I wonder... "Will I ever go back to work? Can I even go back?" (Come to think of it, I get asked that quite a bit, mostly by my parents who paid for my entire college tuition and living expenses. Hmm...)

Well, conventional thinking would say "Nope. I quit to raise my son and botched it for good", but fortunately, we no longer live in a conventional world...

This afternoon I found a great article, Quit work for a while to have kids. Your career will be just fine by Penelope Trunk, but way of Sara, the Self-Made Mom and it helped that little pang subside. (It seems that we had similar experiences today and the comment I left on her blog was the inspiration for this post.)

The article was good reminder that the road of life is paved with a multitude of options. The direction you take all depends on where you want to be.

Of course, given the choice between sipping coffee and skimming emails in an office or shuttling a cranky, sick toddler to the doctor, who would choose the cranky, sick toddler?

I can name one- my husband, who will barely be making it home for bedtime tonight and who just the other day asked me, "Did he grow while I was gone?"

Action Man

One of the busiest of mommybloggers out there is about to get a whole lot busier. As in “more kids than parents" busier. And every new mama—even a three-time winner like Julie—deserves a celebration.

Mayberry Mom, Motherhood Uncensored, & motherbumper are hosting the baby shower and has asked their bloggy friends to "write a post about raising, rearing, chasing, or enjoying little boys", so here goes...

When my son was three months old, we took him to visit his cousins... his girl cousins and one of them only a mere four weeks younger. We laid the two infants side by side on the play mat and watched as the two interacted. Actually, my niece was the only one doing the interacting...

While she tried in vain to coo, babble, and make lovey-lovey eyes at my son, he was more interested in kicking the supports and making the dangling rattles and toys shake. When her then 3-year-old big sister asked, "what's wrong with him?", I laughed and explained, "Nothing's wrong with him, honey. He's just being a BOY."

At 21 months old, he is a little man of few words and all action. He's into dogs, balls, cars, tools, techy gadgets, and anything that can be used as a club. I've tried teaching him how to "use his words", but it seems grunting and pointing will have to suffice for the time being. He has no patience for talking... especially when there's a sofa to jump off of or a cabinet to unlock.

Yet for all of his boundless energy and testosterone, there's an unexpected tenderness that lies beneath. I've always heard how devoted boys are to their moms, but it still takes me by surprise. Probably because it comes out in sweet little bursts likes a spontaneous hug or tiny pat on my back. Sometime his love is expressed in shoving that other kid out of his mommy's lap or feeding me a Goldfish cracker dug up from his car seat... and that makes it all worth it!

My only words of advice: Enjoy every bit of it, mothergoosemouse!

And, Congratulations!!!

Just a Mom Milestone

Tomorrow is the first anniversary of the day I "officially" became a SAHM.

A year ago, I swiped my security badge for the very last time and with great trepidation, handed it over to the guard on duty. Even though I had resigned months before and at that point, had only hung on until the next sucker my replacement could be hired and sufficiently trained, I remember thinking, "Oh crap, what have I done?"

What I had done was walk away from a world where I felt smart, ambitious, and IMPORTANT... Like a lot of people, my whole identity was wrapped up in my career. It was, after all, everything I had been working towards up until this point. Without it, what was I?

By the way, it bears mentioning that Piper of Love wrote a clever post about this very thing last week. Her words struck a nerve with me, reminding me of exactly how I felt about this huge life change... and quite timely, no less.

What I dreaded most was losing myself in the stereotype of the suburban housewife. I am, of course, referring to the "me" whose passions, interests, intellect, and clever wit would now be reduced to three words: "just a mom".

Well, it turns out "just a mom" is exactly what I want to be and my son... well, he's only the most fascinating creature in the world!

I love that our days are filled with wonder and discovery and if he wakes up and decides that he most certainly does NOT want to wear pants today... well, he doesn't have to and we just don't leave the house. I love it when he beams at me from across the dinner table after we've just shared an inside joke and that he can't fall sleep until I kiss him goodnight. I love it when he laughs and even when he cries, because it means I can comfort him in my arms.

Sure, I still miss my old job now and again, especially as my son approaches the "terrible twos" with a fury. I've broken down and sobbed in frustration, fantasied about "this being daycare's problem right now", and even updated my resume (you know, just in case)... but overall, being my son's mom is the best job ever. I enjoy it so much that I would even do it if they didn't pay me... Oh, wait...

I thought that I would look upon this anniversary with more melancholy and despair, but actually... I'm really okay with it. I'm really, 100%, no-takesies-backsies OKAY with it. Yeah, I'm shocked, too.

Making the transition from pouring over monthly performance stats to pouring over books called Parenting with Love and Logic and The Happiest Toddler on the Block (just to name a few) hasn't always been smooth, but I'm just so grateful to make it to this milestone with the confidence that I made the right choice all along.

Sadly, there will be no diamond journey pendants or even a chocolate cake to mark the occasion, although I do have a blogiversary coming up. Feel free to send gifts and flowers to... haha!

Just kidding.

The Very Merriest to You and Yours

We've attended ten parties, including my husband's birthday dinner and a wedding, in past two weeks. TEN!

I provided some sort of food or drink for three...

...purchased gifts for seven
...dressed up and did my hair for six
...dressed down for two
...didn't even care for one

...and only wore the same thing twice. It was a fabulous cocktail dress that rendered many compliments and several unsolicited comments about my boobs, so really... I didn't mind AT ALL!

That number, however, does not include my husband's office party and some dinner invitations that we've had to regretfully decline due to prior commitments/exhaustion. It's been a LOT, even for us, and we're officially partied out...

It's not that I am not grateful for all of my friends. In fact, I think I've thoroughly covered exactly how very grateful I am for all the wonderful people (and even the not so wonderful people) in my life in NaBloPoMo Parts 4, 12, 15, 18, and 27. Hubby and I love you ALL! We really, really do.

Earlier this week, I found myself exchanging a number emails with a casual acquaintance. I've known her and her family for over three years. They're very nice people and we've always been cordial with one another, but I really never found much common ground between us.

We had been at a party together, where we discussed her recent bathroom remodel. I guess she didn't get to finish a humorous story tied into how much it cost to do (because yes, someone actually asked), so she emailed me the rest of it. That led into a discussion about the punch I had made for the party, followed by an exchange of the recipe, and ended with holiday greetings and mutual "it was great to see you..." Blah, blah, blah-blah, blah, blah.

The next day we received a Christmas card from their family, to which my response was "Oh crap! Are we FRIENDS now?! We don't need any more friends!" Tongue in cheek, of course, but it's become a private joke between Hubby and I.

Unfortunately, Hubby decided to share this easily misunderstandable sentiment with some of our other friends at the wedding of another friend last night. It was met with a chilly response and I just about nudged him. I couldn't say anything though, because not two minutes before I had wondered OUT LOUD (and half drunk), "Why are all the bridesmaids the groom's high school and college friends and not the bride's..." and we were sitting with her family at the time. Ouch!

I was discretely told later that the bride didn't have anyone to ask so... Double Ouch!

I obviously didn't know the bride at all, so I have no idea if this is entirely true, but I can't even imagine a life without friends and our (Oh-kay, mostly my son's) busy social calendar.

I decided right then and there to embrace the this holiday season for what it is, a time for loved ones, and stop being so "busy". All of this celebrating should be considered a pleasure, not an obligation. I should stop bitching on my blog and enjoy it, right? Well, I plan to do just that for the next few days.

Have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS, Everyone.

Now, if you'll excuse me. I have Sunday brunch, Christmas Dinner, and a New Year's Eve party that we're hosting to prepare for... Yikes!

My pretty Christmas wreath

The Joy of Giving

Every year, I promise to mind our spending during the holidays...

Then, I find a trendy necklace that I know my hipster sister will like, a stylish sweater for my stylish brother-in-law, or an awesome train table for our son on Craig's List. Considering all of his gifts are burning a hole in the back of my closet, it's more than I wanted to spend but less than a brand new one... Sigh!

I know money and things don't buy happiness, but giving a gift that you know will be loved is such a joy!

So, today I'm grateful for all the things that are priceless (yet can be purchased with my MasterCard... or so their clever ads will have you believe).

Thanksgiving and Friendship

As newlyweds, Hubby and I joined a group offered through our church called the "Young Marrieds". Not only did our good friends run it at the time, but we thought it would be a great way to meet some much needed "couple friends"... and it was!

In spite of the name, you didn't necessarily have to be "young" nor "newly married" to be in the group (even though we were), but you have to be FUN. Three years later, we consider the people in this group our closest friends and we have more invitations to dinner parties, cookouts, and baby showers than we have weekends free... That doesn't even include all the activities for the group.

Within a year or two of us joining, a lot of the group's members (including us) starting having children and the name changed to "Young Families". Can we say instant support system? Then, our friends got burned out, so Hubby and I took over running the group with another couple. (When I say "Hubby and I", I really mean me...)

Each month, we plan a "couples only" date night as well as a "family event". So, not only is that two weekends each month than we've got something going on with the group, but there's also all the time spent planning.

This includes convincing people to host our various potlucks, pool parties, or wine tastings or finding a restaurant that will hold a reservation for over 20.... sending invitations and dealing with the subsequent bitching ("That's my daughter's nap time, can't you move it to accommodate our schedule?")... A lot of WORK!

Planning activities for the group is fun, but oftentimes can be stressful and definitely time-consuming. Just like planning anything, I guess...

This afternoon we had our annual Thanksgiving Potluck, which included 2 six-year-olds, 15 kids two and under, and 1 teenager. (See, lots of kids!) While I wasn't hosting it at my home, I spent weeks planning it with the people that did. This morning, I arrived early to help set up and stayed late into the afternoon to clean.

I quizzed myself on everybody's names, kids' ages, and pertinent details in my head as I was thickening the gravy. From my vantage point at the stove, I attempted to to greet everyone by name as they arrived, make brilliant conversation and proper introductions, and welcome the new couples that just joined.

In the midst of all this, my son had a massive tantrum as our friends looked on sympathetically and my husband had to take him home early. Feeling quite overwhelmed myself, I completely sympathized and sort of wished I could have gone home with him but I had to stay, Fortunately, Hubby didn't mind having to leave the party so soon, and it allowed me a chance to relax and actually visit with people.

It was a chaotic day that just went by in a blur, but driving home this evening I was filled with so much warmth and happiness. Not only did the party come off as a HUGE success, but it was such a blessing be reminded of just how many wonderful people I have in my life... and who I am honored to call "my friends".

Today, I am grateful for all the people that bring joy, happiness, and friendship to my life!

Wanting It All

If I have learned anything from this past year of being a SAHM, it's that having it all isn't nearly as important as knowing what you want. I still have guilt and I still have "what ifs", but that's just life. I wake up everyday loving what I do. For that, I am grateful.

Daily Thanks: Daily Bliss

My son may be the toddler around here, but I'm the one that's been doing the lion's share of the belly-aching and whining lately. Roar!

(Of course, if I didn't whine and complain about caring for a toddler there wouldn't be much to blog about, now would there? After all, that is what I do all day... )

My days can be tough and it's hard to keep my patience, to be consistent, to comply with all of the demands... It's easy to get lost in the blinding intensity of it all, which makes it that much more important for me to recognize and take time for all the joys motherhood brings.

Yesterday morning, I took my son to see my friend and her new baby girl. She also has a son who is the same age as my son, so it was an opportunity for the boys to play together as well. Things were going well until my son, frustrated over a toy not working properly, had a screaming, crying, throwing fit in the middle of their backyard.

When distracting him with other toys didn't work, I scooped him up and just started dancing around the yard with him. His big sobs quickly turned into excited giggles as we spun 'round and 'round on a gorgeous autumn morning.

I'm sure I looked like a giant dork, but I didn't care. My son was happy and his laughter was music to my ears, and that moment of being so silly together was priceless. After I put him down, he was ready to play again and I felt like a good mommy. Amidst the chaos, there is a moment like this everyday. Whether it's my son asking for a hug while I'm in the middle of making dinner or the big smile I get just for handing him a cup of milk, I just have to stop and notice them.

He fell asleep on the way home from our playdate, but woke up a little after we pulled into the garage. I was prepared to encounter an angry bear. Instead, he just outstretched his tiny arms to be picked up. As I walked him into the house and towards his crib, he rested his sleepy head on my shoulder and snuggled in, as if to say "Thank you, Mommy. I love you."

I love you, too, Son.

DAY TWO: I'm thankful for my son and all of the joys of motherhood that he brings every single day!

Nerd Alert!

It's taken a few days to let my trip to Charleston sink in, but mostly because my son and I have slipped right back into our normal routine. I've been trying desperately to hang on to my vacation buzz, er... glow, but it's no use. Life just keeps insisting that it should go on and it's been back to the ho-hum of reality.

We missed our babies and we missed our husbands, and it was time to come home, but we were dreading the disasters and ruined nap schedules that awaited us. But, as one of my travel companions reminded everyone, "...and we can't be bitchy about it either."

Somehow I don't seem to mind the tantrums, toddler high-jinx, and messy house as much as before. In spite of the rough start, everything was just peachy when I got back. My son even learned a few more tricks, like opening closed doors and climbing onto the kitchen chairs... (sigh!)

So, about my trip.

First, it should be noted that Charleston is a GORGEOUS city, filled with charm and southern hospitality and rich in history.

Being a bit of a history buff with a particular passion for the Civil War, I was THRILLED with all of the perfectly preserved homes, museums, and monuments, but only privately so.

No one likes a busybody know-it-all, especially when its on a topic that may bore them, right?

Well, two hours and fifteen minutes into our vacation, we found ourselves in a museum meticulously maintained by the Daughters of the Confederacy. It's crazy the amount of stuff these women saved.... letters, banners, silver serving ware, bullets pulled out of loved ones, and the like

When one of my friend's questions about the significance of a certain flag was met by a round shrugs, I could no longer contain myself. Out came pouring dates, facts, and relationships to subsequent events learned many years ago in AP History. (NERD ALERT)

My friends were impressed, but asked, "And why do you know this? No, really. Why?"

I just do. I've never been good at sports. I've never been good at music. Being a busybody know-it-all on boring topics is just my special gift, I guess.
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As I mentioned before, this girls' trip was proposed because my friend was missing her hometown. She was so excited to show off her city and was a splendid tour guide. She did all the driving and knew all the right places to take us. For four days, I lived on a rich diet of creamy soups, shrimp and grits, and crab cakes from some of the finest restaurants.

She also insisted on taking us not only to a bar, but "a party and an institution" as its sign out front boasts...

A place called Wet Willie's, where you can sample (and even mix-and-match) up to twenty-three frozen mixed drinks any time of day, and here they are...

Let's just say it lives up to its reputation... Moving on.
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No trip to the coast is complete without a stroll on the beach and on Saturday afternoon, after a long morning of touring plantations and gardens, that's exactly what we did. Toes in the sand and everything!


And to think... If I had been home, I probably would have been cleaning my bathrooms or scrubbing the fridge. Who wants to read a post about that?

Thanks for hanging out with me while I reminisce a bit! Now, if you'll excuse me. It's song and dance time with my son...

Reunited, and it feels so good / Reunited, 'cause we understood
There's one perfect fit/ And, sugar, this one is it
We both are so excited /'Cause we're reunited
Hey, hey