Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Losing sleep
My friends, I have been so lame at writing in my blog these days because my family has been incredibly busy. I have to say that I have literally been losing sleep over this whole California Proposition 8 train wreck. I wake up at 4am every single night and can't get back to sleep. I have signs in my yard saying NO ON 8 and my MIL/FIL's sign was actually stolen from their property a few nights ago. What assholes!! This is America!! I may not agree with you, but there is FREE FUCKING SPEECH. Sport your Yes on 8 signs if you must, but stay the fuck off my property!!!
And this is why I use a Mac:
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid64402.asp
And this is why I use a Mac:
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid64402.asp
Friday, October 10, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
I'm so incredibly sad tonight
My first kitten was placed in his new home tonight and I'm devastated. I loved him so very much. Shaye named him "Love" because he was a "lovie kittie" and it broke my heart to see him leave our house. He lept out of his new Mama's arms and ran back towards our house which made me cry so hard. Yoshi's not sure what's going on. Shit..my heart is just breaking. Why do I have to love animals so much.
shit.
We still need homes for 2 of our kitties. It's breaking my heart. In pieces. I'm moving to a farm.
shit.
We still need homes for 2 of our kitties. It's breaking my heart. In pieces. I'm moving to a farm.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Why life is SO worth living...
Shaye was putting on her pj's tonight and my heart just melted. The best thing I have ever done with my life is having these children. This was the conversation:
Mommy: Shaye, you are such a big girl!! How did you grow up so fast? I remember when Mommy had to dress you because you didn't know how and now look at you! Putting on your pj's all by yourself. I used to dress you and then snuggle with you and rock you to sleep. Do you remember that?
Shaye: Yep. I'm a big girl now. I can do it all by myself.
::pause:::
Shaye: ....but Mommy, you can still hold me when I'm all grown up.
That's when the tears welled up. :::sniffSNIFFsniff::::
Mommy: Shaye, you are such a big girl!! How did you grow up so fast? I remember when Mommy had to dress you because you didn't know how and now look at you! Putting on your pj's all by yourself. I used to dress you and then snuggle with you and rock you to sleep. Do you remember that?
Shaye: Yep. I'm a big girl now. I can do it all by myself.
::pause:::
Shaye: ....but Mommy, you can still hold me when I'm all grown up.
That's when the tears welled up. :::sniffSNIFFsniff::::
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
I'm so impressed!
Today when I dropped Shaye off at school I went over and sat down on the rug next to two little girls who were doing something with the USA puzzle map. My curiosity was piqued, so I made myself comfortable to watch. I asked how old they were, one turned 4 in March, one will be 5 in Feb (so they are older than Shaye). They had a blank 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper with the USA map on it, colored pencils, and they were coloring in the states accordingly:
(by the way, is it horrible to call Florida "that bad state that doesn't like families to have 2 mommies" when we're doing the puzzle?) ;)
To me, it's fascinating that a 4 year old would take out this work and sit and color STATES (and do a GOOD job at staying in the lines!) And they weren't doing the easy western states either. They were doing states such as Vermont, Rhode Island, New Hampshire....you know, all those small New England states! WHOA! It was so cute to see them sitting next to each other with their own little clipboards and papers and pencils while both looking at the map. Wow wow wow!
On a more adult note. Damn, this made me laugh: http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/chi/814181712.html
Here's another Craigslist Best Of that actually made me laugh outloud a few times:
My kids are a pain in the ass. Just in the past hour, i have had to tell each one to do something more than once. oldest: can i have soda? it's just a sprite? please? can i? no, no and no.
the next one...don't even get me started. seriously.
the twin six year olds: one wanted dessert before her dinner was over, one kept wanting to know why I wouldn't let nine year olds swing her around by her limbs. (the fear of a dislocated shoulder did nothing.)
Please help me.
I can be a tad difficult to work for. I'm loud, pushy and while I used to think we paid well, i am no longer sure. i work from home, so you get the pleasure of being hounded by me all day long. and, you get to pretend to like me, because i am deeply sensative. (but well dressed and a know it all, a winning combination I assure you.)
If you cannot multi task, or communicate without being passive aggressive, don't even bother replying.
If you are the type who doesn't notice crumbs on the table, skip to the next post, because crumbs are a deal breaker. they put me over the edge.
i have all sorts of theories on how to stack my dishwasher, and if you are judgemental about ritalin for adhd, or think such things are caused by too much sugar, again, deal break city.
You do get a separate entrance excellent studio on the ues. you do get air conditioner and internet connection and cable. even hbo. and showtime. you can bring your spouse, roommate or partner, but sorry no kids. If you ask, can i bring my kid, the answer will be...anyone? anyone? No.
If you can cook, all the better. otherwise, i'll teach you all sorts of things about pasta. (Here's a freebie, butter and parmesean, mmmmmm)
If you know anything about chess and violin i will be impressed.
We are not snobs, which is good. but then again, my kid sometimes swears to make a point. (We're working on it, but halfheartedly, because, well the apple doesn't fall far from the fucking tree.)Although I am told they are all very bright, they have not mastered the use of the oh so complicated napkin. This is a napkin Junior, say it after me...Nap Kin. Good boy.
i am not looking for Super nanny, or anyone who wants this job because they will love my kids as if they are their own. you won't. really. they are infinitely lovable, but trust me, they're mine and you will move on when your journey with us is over, and save for some funny stories and a delightful email every now and again, you won't grieve. Nor will we. (okay, we did all grieve a few of our past sitters, oddly they were all named Sarah or Kate, or Nikki. And Leah. Leah was delightful, even if she did drop my twin babies off our couch during a family gathering. Good times.
I don't want someone who has a lot of theories on the right way to raise kids, because in the end, I'm just a woman doing my best. I'm willing to learn from you, or anyone, but not so much about how i should parent my spawn. teach me to knit. introduce me to yoga, the white stripes, russian literature or the best place to get a burger in the village at 2Am, but do not tell me to put star stickers on a good boy chart. stickers irritate me.
If you are fundamentally unhappy with your life, you will be more unhappy if you take this job, so do us all a favor and get some treatment or move to the Rockies, but do not apply for employment with us. Also, if you suspect all wealthy women are frivilous, we are not for you. I do not want to hide my occasional bergdorf shopping bag.
If you smoke, please quit. don't apply either, but please quit. i have known too many people diagnosed with cancer this year. Even if you are a judgemental nanny 911 wannabe, no one should have to endure some of the things I have wittnessed.
You gotta be able to drive with a valid license, but if you've ever hit a human,move to the next post. You won't have to drive in the city, but if we go to our weekend place together, or if you make it to the summer and still work for us, we need you to run into town to get some pink milk, so be able to drive a mini van.
Can you swim? Swimming is good.
If you do drugs or drink enough so that you are grumpy in the morning and grumpier at night prior to that next cocktail, call AA, and peruse craigslist childcare positions when you have a year sober. I'll probably be looking again, and now is the time for you to focus on yourself anyway.
I need a team player. I need someone to back me up when it comes to remembering when the library books are due, and whether i have rsvped to that birthday party yet.
Help me dear G-d keep track of our skim milk supply and also, also, also, what should I make for dinner tomorrow night?
the hours are 7 in the morning to 8:30 in the morning. We'd be in it together, getting the kids out with clean faces, brushed teeth and some food in their bellies. Doesn't that sound easy? Doesn't that sound doable?
Then come on back for a fun filled afternoon 2:15-8:15 of activities and playdates and snacks and dinners and homework and riveting conversations about global warming, hannah montana and guitar hero.
When you do get to go home (to that swanky studio and possibly a significant other or buddy) your time off will be respected. If I would like you to give extra hours, i'll ask. if you say yes, you get paid 15/ hour. if you say no, I will not fire you or hate you. Except if it is a school holiday or if i have a sick kid, then i might ask, and unless you have a final exam worth 2/3 of your grade or tix The Lion King, you may need to help out.
Okay, if you're still reading this ad, it means:
a) i am a halfway decent writer and maybe i really will get that book deal i'm yearning for
b) you need a job desparately
c) you think this just might be destiny, and that you could be one of the few, the proud, the potential babysitter of our dreams.
D) you want all the information about job requirements, so that you can write me emails about how I should stay home with my kids otherwise they are going to grow up to be sociopaths. (If my pen pal is out there, wassup? Found love yet? No? How 'bout that.)
best of luck to all of you in your search for a job. Seriously. Job searching sucks. No two ways about it.
RLS
(by the way, is it horrible to call Florida "that bad state that doesn't like families to have 2 mommies" when we're doing the puzzle?) ;)
To me, it's fascinating that a 4 year old would take out this work and sit and color STATES (and do a GOOD job at staying in the lines!) And they weren't doing the easy western states either. They were doing states such as Vermont, Rhode Island, New Hampshire....you know, all those small New England states! WHOA! It was so cute to see them sitting next to each other with their own little clipboards and papers and pencils while both looking at the map. Wow wow wow!
On a more adult note. Damn, this made me laugh: http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/chi/814181712.html
Here's another Craigslist Best Of that actually made me laugh outloud a few times:
My kids are a pain in the ass. Just in the past hour, i have had to tell each one to do something more than once. oldest: can i have soda? it's just a sprite? please? can i? no, no and no.
the next one...don't even get me started. seriously.
the twin six year olds: one wanted dessert before her dinner was over, one kept wanting to know why I wouldn't let nine year olds swing her around by her limbs. (the fear of a dislocated shoulder did nothing.)
Please help me.
I can be a tad difficult to work for. I'm loud, pushy and while I used to think we paid well, i am no longer sure. i work from home, so you get the pleasure of being hounded by me all day long. and, you get to pretend to like me, because i am deeply sensative. (but well dressed and a know it all, a winning combination I assure you.)
If you cannot multi task, or communicate without being passive aggressive, don't even bother replying.
If you are the type who doesn't notice crumbs on the table, skip to the next post, because crumbs are a deal breaker. they put me over the edge.
i have all sorts of theories on how to stack my dishwasher, and if you are judgemental about ritalin for adhd, or think such things are caused by too much sugar, again, deal break city.
You do get a separate entrance excellent studio on the ues. you do get air conditioner and internet connection and cable. even hbo. and showtime. you can bring your spouse, roommate or partner, but sorry no kids. If you ask, can i bring my kid, the answer will be...anyone? anyone? No.
If you can cook, all the better. otherwise, i'll teach you all sorts of things about pasta. (Here's a freebie, butter and parmesean, mmmmmm)
If you know anything about chess and violin i will be impressed.
We are not snobs, which is good. but then again, my kid sometimes swears to make a point. (We're working on it, but halfheartedly, because, well the apple doesn't fall far from the fucking tree.)Although I am told they are all very bright, they have not mastered the use of the oh so complicated napkin. This is a napkin Junior, say it after me...Nap Kin. Good boy.
i am not looking for Super nanny, or anyone who wants this job because they will love my kids as if they are their own. you won't. really. they are infinitely lovable, but trust me, they're mine and you will move on when your journey with us is over, and save for some funny stories and a delightful email every now and again, you won't grieve. Nor will we. (okay, we did all grieve a few of our past sitters, oddly they were all named Sarah or Kate, or Nikki. And Leah. Leah was delightful, even if she did drop my twin babies off our couch during a family gathering. Good times.
I don't want someone who has a lot of theories on the right way to raise kids, because in the end, I'm just a woman doing my best. I'm willing to learn from you, or anyone, but not so much about how i should parent my spawn. teach me to knit. introduce me to yoga, the white stripes, russian literature or the best place to get a burger in the village at 2Am, but do not tell me to put star stickers on a good boy chart. stickers irritate me.
If you are fundamentally unhappy with your life, you will be more unhappy if you take this job, so do us all a favor and get some treatment or move to the Rockies, but do not apply for employment with us. Also, if you suspect all wealthy women are frivilous, we are not for you. I do not want to hide my occasional bergdorf shopping bag.
If you smoke, please quit. don't apply either, but please quit. i have known too many people diagnosed with cancer this year. Even if you are a judgemental nanny 911 wannabe, no one should have to endure some of the things I have wittnessed.
You gotta be able to drive with a valid license, but if you've ever hit a human,move to the next post. You won't have to drive in the city, but if we go to our weekend place together, or if you make it to the summer and still work for us, we need you to run into town to get some pink milk, so be able to drive a mini van.
Can you swim? Swimming is good.
If you do drugs or drink enough so that you are grumpy in the morning and grumpier at night prior to that next cocktail, call AA, and peruse craigslist childcare positions when you have a year sober. I'll probably be looking again, and now is the time for you to focus on yourself anyway.
I need a team player. I need someone to back me up when it comes to remembering when the library books are due, and whether i have rsvped to that birthday party yet.
Help me dear G-d keep track of our skim milk supply and also, also, also, what should I make for dinner tomorrow night?
the hours are 7 in the morning to 8:30 in the morning. We'd be in it together, getting the kids out with clean faces, brushed teeth and some food in their bellies. Doesn't that sound easy? Doesn't that sound doable?
Then come on back for a fun filled afternoon 2:15-8:15 of activities and playdates and snacks and dinners and homework and riveting conversations about global warming, hannah montana and guitar hero.
When you do get to go home (to that swanky studio and possibly a significant other or buddy) your time off will be respected. If I would like you to give extra hours, i'll ask. if you say yes, you get paid 15/ hour. if you say no, I will not fire you or hate you. Except if it is a school holiday or if i have a sick kid, then i might ask, and unless you have a final exam worth 2/3 of your grade or tix The Lion King, you may need to help out.
Okay, if you're still reading this ad, it means:
a) i am a halfway decent writer and maybe i really will get that book deal i'm yearning for
b) you need a job desparately
c) you think this just might be destiny, and that you could be one of the few, the proud, the potential babysitter of our dreams.
D) you want all the information about job requirements, so that you can write me emails about how I should stay home with my kids otherwise they are going to grow up to be sociopaths. (If my pen pal is out there, wassup? Found love yet? No? How 'bout that.)
best of luck to all of you in your search for a job. Seriously. Job searching sucks. No two ways about it.
RLS
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Shaye's new word
Here's the convo I just had with Shaye while she was coloring her little heart out:
Out of nowhere she says,
Shaye: Mommy, a meteorologist tells us the weather (said with SUCH excitement in her voice and complete clarity).
Me: :::sitting there looking at her with my mouth open then finally saying:::: WOW Shaye, you are right!! A meteorologist DOES tell us the weather. How did you know that?
Shaye: I learned it at school.
Me: You did? Who told you about meteorologists?
Shaye: Miss Karla told us about them and how they can tell us the weather.
Me: Go Miss Karla!
LOL!
I swear, she can say the word better than *I* can!! I just sat there laughing and shaking my head in amazement! So, now I promised to show her our little hottie meteorologist in the morning on the news (Monica Woods...ohhhhh...she's easy on the eyes!)
Out of nowhere she says,
Shaye: Mommy, a meteorologist tells us the weather (said with SUCH excitement in her voice and complete clarity).
Me: :::sitting there looking at her with my mouth open then finally saying:::: WOW Shaye, you are right!! A meteorologist DOES tell us the weather. How did you know that?
Shaye: I learned it at school.
Me: You did? Who told you about meteorologists?
Shaye: Miss Karla told us about them and how they can tell us the weather.
Me: Go Miss Karla!
LOL!
I swear, she can say the word better than *I* can!! I just sat there laughing and shaking my head in amazement! So, now I promised to show her our little hottie meteorologist in the morning on the news (Monica Woods...ohhhhh...she's easy on the eyes!)
Sunday, August 31, 2008
What's better than going thrifting?
Going thrifting when it's 30% off!! YAHHHHHH!
Today I scored a game from 1965 called Trouble (I played this as a kid and for it being 43 years old it's in great shape!) for only $1.39, a wooden puppet theater for $9.00, a wooden ironing board for $2.00, a cute realistic looking turtle (the girls are obsessed with Schleich animals) for pennies, binoculars (Shaye has been begging for some!) for $1.50, and two cute little kid tin trays that look pretty vintage (they have legs that pop out on the bottom so you can sit on the floor and use the tray to draw, eat, build Lego's, whatever for just under 3 bucks. One has an "ABC circus" and one has monkey fire fighters. They are SO cute! We also got a few pants and shirts and I found a Leap Frog phonics radio (retails for something crazy like $25!) for $1. I may just sell that on Craigslist though.
I've been thinking about my current obsession and I know there is money to be made by buying stuff up at Thrift stores for dirt cheap ($2 and less!) and reselling on Craigslist or eBay for 10 times the amount. I might give it a whirl and see what happens.
Today I scored a game from 1965 called Trouble (I played this as a kid and for it being 43 years old it's in great shape!) for only $1.39, a wooden puppet theater for $9.00, a wooden ironing board for $2.00, a cute realistic looking turtle (the girls are obsessed with Schleich animals) for pennies, binoculars (Shaye has been begging for some!) for $1.50, and two cute little kid tin trays that look pretty vintage (they have legs that pop out on the bottom so you can sit on the floor and use the tray to draw, eat, build Lego's, whatever for just under 3 bucks. One has an "ABC circus" and one has monkey fire fighters. They are SO cute! We also got a few pants and shirts and I found a Leap Frog phonics radio (retails for something crazy like $25!) for $1. I may just sell that on Craigslist though.
I've been thinking about my current obsession and I know there is money to be made by buying stuff up at Thrift stores for dirt cheap ($2 and less!) and reselling on Craigslist or eBay for 10 times the amount. I might give it a whirl and see what happens.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Another score for the home team!
Are there support groups for thrift store addiction? Because Caroline is definitely going to send me to one. Ok, so when I go I usually spend anywhere from $5 to $20, but it's EVERY week...sometimes twice a week. I really gotta stop. But when you see a deal like this, you just gotta admit that you did the right thing by spending the money. ;)
I have wanted this for the girls since last Christmas, but there was just something about spending $60 plus $20 for each game that really turned me off. I did buy them a Leap Pad and a Leapster from Toys R Us and I would say they are much nicer and my kids really play with them alot (Shaye is alllllllllll about letters and numbers these days). I was in my favorite all time thrift store yesterday and found it for SIX (!) dollars!!! That is 90% off the retail price. Heh. I brought it home, put new batteries in it and it works great. I can say that I am really, really glad I didn't spend $60 on this game. It's not all that. I would say it was worth $6 though.
I also found one of these and made little "mail cards" out of wood from Michael's (I'll post pics later) and the girls are LOVING it! I spent something like $2.99 on it.
It's amazing how many cute wooden trays you can find for your home Montessori shelf, too.
It's such a rush when you find such awesome things!!!!!
I have wanted this for the girls since last Christmas, but there was just something about spending $60 plus $20 for each game that really turned me off. I did buy them a Leap Pad and a Leapster from Toys R Us and I would say they are much nicer and my kids really play with them alot (Shaye is alllllllllll about letters and numbers these days). I was in my favorite all time thrift store yesterday and found it for SIX (!) dollars!!! That is 90% off the retail price. Heh. I brought it home, put new batteries in it and it works great. I can say that I am really, really glad I didn't spend $60 on this game. It's not all that. I would say it was worth $6 though.
I also found one of these and made little "mail cards" out of wood from Michael's (I'll post pics later) and the girls are LOVING it! I spent something like $2.99 on it.
It's amazing how many cute wooden trays you can find for your home Montessori shelf, too.
It's such a rush when you find such awesome things!!!!!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Milkshake
I'm not sure if I've ever blogged about this, but I thought it was worth a mention (ahem, name drop). Back in the day, in the late 80's/early 90's there was a really great local Baltimore band called Beyond Words which eventually morphed into a band called Love Riot. My band, The Wanting Seed (I played drums), used to play with them often around the local Baltimore area original music club scene. Ahhh....those were the days. Two of the folks from Beyond Words/Love Riot were Lisa Matthews and Mikel Gehl. Not to brag, but pretty much everybody around the local original music scene knew who The Wanting Seed and Beyond Words were. We were two of the bands that played alot and had good size followings and we played together frequently and hung out. The local music scene in the 80's and 90's was incredible. A tight group of folks that supported each other by either playing clubs together and coming out to support each other when they weren't playing their own gigs. Everybody knew everybody, ya know?
Fast forward to 2004 when I became a mom and started to notice all the little kid shows on TV. One of the only one's I could stomach was Barney...nah...just kidding! It's called Jack's Big Music Show and I always thought it was really cool that they would have *real* musicians as guests (like Sweet Honey in the Rock, Cathy Richardson, Lisa Loeb, Yolanda Adams, Buddy Guy etc.). And one of the best children's artists around, Laurie Berkner, who has been called "the Ani DiFranco of kid's music". There were a few songs from the show done by bands such as Hot Peas and Butter that were actually REALLY REALLY catchy. Even though it was music about numbers and letters, from a drummer/musician perspective, it freakin' rocked out!! I always had to chuckle because I went from drummer in a really cool original, regionally well known, band to jammin' out to a band called Hot Peas and Butter! LOL!!
Ok, so getting back to the point, one of the bands that I really, really liked was a band called Milkshake. There was one Jack's Big Music Show episode that I had DVR's for about 8 months called "Marching Band" where Jack and Mary (the characters) can't go out and march because it's raining outside. Milkshake performs a "video" called "Sunshine" on that episode and it really and truly a happy, fun song. I watched this episode almost every day for 6 months because Shaye was ADDICTED to it. Seriously, every day she would sit for 30 minutes glued to the TV to watch this show. So, I heard this song and saw this video a lot. A lot. Oh, many, many, many times. I used to think, "Why do those people look so damn familiar to me?", but I just brushed it off and thought, like me, they were probably once really cool pop/alternative musicians who now have kids and have to make a living or put a new deck on the back of their house (a.k.a. selling out). About a year ago, I was flipping through Cookie Magazine and saw a little blurb about this cute little band and almost fell off of the couch. Milkshake was Lisa Matthews and Mikel Gehl!!!!!!! NO WONDER THEY LOOKED FAMILIAR!!!
My old friends (that I have long since lost contact with) are now married (not to each other) and are a mommy and a daddy and write AWESOME kid's music!!!! For those of you with young children and have seen the show, you will probably know them when you watch this video from You Tube. Every time I hear this song now, I just have to laugh. Someday soon I'll be taking my own kids back to Baltimore and instead of hanging out in the hip local original music scene dives, I'll be taking them to see my old friends Lisa and Mikel at the local kidfest!
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