Saturday, March 31, 2007
Spring Fever
Instead of organizing my garage, I'm just going to play around with my blog template and some new colors. Who needs a space for the car anyway?
Mach Schnell My Bloggers!
Want a new template design? You have a chance to win one from Splat Designs - but you must hurry because the winner will be chosen tomorrow! Just click here and sign the Mr. Linky. Go! Go!
Thanks for the heads up from Barb!
Thanks for the heads up from Barb!
You Know You Want One . . .
At least, I think you want one. I know I do! The gals over at 5 Minutes for Mom are having another contest and this time they are giving away a Dyson vacuum cleaner. A Dyson! This is the big leagues of cleaning, people. I don't have a Dyson, and I am very loyal to my Oreck, but I'd be willing to have a little somethin' somethin' on the down low with another vacuum if it was free. And did I mention that it was a Dyson?
Just head over to 5 Minutes for Mom, sign their Mr. Linky, and shazam! - you have a chance to win. Love it!
Just head over to 5 Minutes for Mom, sign their Mr. Linky, and shazam! - you have a chance to win. Love it!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Overheard
For your amusement, a sample conversation at Chez Aimee et Robert:
Her: You just left your breakfast crumbs all over the table this morning!
Him: blink. blink.
Her: You're as bad as the kids!
Him: (with twinkling eyes) I'm worse. I should know better.
Do you see why I love him? Do you?
Her: You just left your breakfast crumbs all over the table this morning!
Him: blink. blink.
Her: You're as bad as the kids!
Him: (with twinkling eyes) I'm worse. I should know better.
Do you see why I love him? Do you?
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever
I can tell Spring is coming, and for real this time. How can I tell? I have been cleaning like a woman possessed. I didn't clean this much when I was pregnant and in nesting mode, but Spring always gets me in high gear when it comes to cleanliness.I usually work in sectors so that I don't burn out trying to do the whole house in one day (I've tried that, before kids of course, and it was.not.pretty.) Today was the wasteland known as our refrigerator. I am so embarrassed to even tell you that I have not given this appliance a really thorough scrubbing since the first year we lived in this house. If you can count the intervals between refrigerator cleanings in years, you're in trouble. (Although, in my defense, we've only been in this house for 3 years. So really, it's only been about 2 years since the last serious fridge overhaul. That's not too bad, right? Right?!)
I've wiped up the sticky juice spots, the ketchup dribbles, the leaky milk jug puddles, but that's mostly just spot cleaning. This was a heavy duty, no-holds-barred, war on dirt and chilled grime.
Baby Girl even lent me a hand. After I removed the top shelves and dropped them in the sink, I turned around to find her crawling into the space meant for the fruit and vegetable crispers. I saw her mouth moving and did the patented Mommy Finger Sweep only to come away with a petrified lump of string cheese that had fallen to the Bottomless Well of Microbes beneath the crispers. My probing hand was met with Fists of Fury, complete with Baby Razor-Claw Action, and ear-splitting shrieks of "Mommy! Mee-hee-hee-hee." Loosely translated, that means: "Mother! Please do not deny me the pleasure of cutting my teeth on rocks of cheese that I have managed to scrape off the floor of the refrigerator." I put her in her
At one point, when the entire contents of the fridge were spread over the counters and the dining room table, The Boy wandered in from his dirt pile in the backyard. He was alarmed by the sight, but when I told him to open the fridge, he exclaimed, "Wow! This is so, so shiny in here! I think we should not get any more drips in here."
My thoughts exactly, bud.
PS: One more thought on the Total Fridge Makeover: Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are worth every shiny penny they charge. They do not go too far in calling them "magic," because they must be imbued with the same kind of powerful voodoo that allowed Frosty to come to life. These things could wipe the freckles right off of Older Girl's nose - they are that good. (Huh - I really need to figure out how to generate some income from all of these endorsements I'm just flinging around!)
Monday, March 26, 2007
Movie Review Monday
Ever since my brother got us started on a Netflix subscription as a Christmas gift (thanks, Bro!), Rob and I have been watching a movie almost every Friday night. I forgot how much fun it is to put the kids in bed, pop some popcorn, and snuggle up with Rob in front of a talkie. It's a cheap date, plus we get to wear pajamas, stretch out on the couch, and pause for bathroom breaks. Stadium seating's got nothing on movies at home.
I didn't think I was going to enjoy Netflix as much as I do, but I do not miss dragging the kids through the video store. In our area, if you do not get to the video store and pick up your movie by Friday afternoon, you'll never get your hands on any new releases. That meant that Rob would be too late if he stopped by after work, and the movie procurement fell to me. Now I just click the mouse a few times, fill up my queue (they sound British! it must be hi-klass!), and wait for the movies to come to me. I drop it in the mail on Monday, I get the next movie in line by Thursday, and we have a ready-made date on Friday. All I'm sayin' is: me-likey! (And, no, Netflix did not pay me to endorse them - although I'm not above being a sell-out if it will pay for the braces that are in my budget's not-too-distant future).
Since we've been watching so many movies, I thought I'd start doing a Monday Movie Review. Too pretentious? Too much gratuitous bad language? Too long? Just right? I'll dish - but, as Levar would say, you don't have to take my word for it. I rarely agree with movie/book reviews - I'm usually a little less hard-nosed than the reviewers. I'm just spending my two cents, as usual, so remember to take this with a grain (or shaker) of salt.
I will use a rating scale from one to five loads of laundry (get it? loads!); one basket being a real stinker and five baskets being one I might consider adding to my private collection (of course, that's assuming I had a private collection of dvds that did not involve trains, virtuous vegetables, or other animation).
Without further ado, I give you the inaugural Monday Movie Review!:
The Prestige rated PG-13 (for some "disturbing" images)
starring: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Sir Michael Caine, Scarlett Johanssen
I am not known for my love of suspense movies. I much prefer knowing the outcome of a situation, and, to that end, I have read final pages of books first and purposely sought out reviews with "spoilers." If Rob has seen a movie before me, I make him tell me the end. I don't like to worry while I'm watching a movie, so if the characters meet an unhappy end, I like to know ahead of time.
So you would think that watching a suspense film about illusionists and their secrets would just about drive me over the edge, what with the not knowing and all. I hardly noticed it, my friends, because it was very good. In a nutshell: Robert (Jackman) and Alfred (Bale) are friends and rival magicians in turn-of-the-century London. Following an incident during a shared magic act, they become enemies trying to out-do each other's stage shows. Tormented by jealousy and obsession, the two men become bent on sacrificing everything to learn the other's secrets. As with all things, their obsessions threaten to destroy them. To say anymore would ruin it for you (unless you are like me, in which case, email me and I'll tell you the whole enchilada!) - I'll just say I had fun trying to figure it out. There was no gratuitous violence, language, or nudity, plus, Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale aren't too bad on the eyes (and there was a little Scarlett Johanssen for my hubs!)
If you want to pare it down even further, you can go with my brother-in-law's review:
It's Batman vs. Wolverine. (Brevity is the soul of wit, people.) Any way you look at it, The Prestige is a good night at the movies.
The Mother Load Rating: 4 Baskets
I didn't think I was going to enjoy Netflix as much as I do, but I do not miss dragging the kids through the video store. In our area, if you do not get to the video store and pick up your movie by Friday afternoon, you'll never get your hands on any new releases. That meant that Rob would be too late if he stopped by after work, and the movie procurement fell to me. Now I just click the mouse a few times, fill up my queue (they sound British! it must be hi-klass!), and wait for the movies to come to me. I drop it in the mail on Monday, I get the next movie in line by Thursday, and we have a ready-made date on Friday. All I'm sayin' is: me-likey! (And, no, Netflix did not pay me to endorse them - although I'm not above being a sell-out if it will pay for the braces that are in my budget's not-too-distant future).
Since we've been watching so many movies, I thought I'd start doing a Monday Movie Review. Too pretentious? Too much gratuitous bad language? Too long? Just right? I'll dish - but, as Levar would say, you don't have to take my word for it. I rarely agree with movie/book reviews - I'm usually a little less hard-nosed than the reviewers. I'm just spending my two cents, as usual, so remember to take this with a grain (or shaker) of salt.
I will use a rating scale from one to five loads of laundry (get it? loads!); one basket being a real stinker and five baskets being one I might consider adding to my private collection (of course, that's assuming I had a private collection of dvds that did not involve trains, virtuous vegetables, or other animation).
Without further ado, I give you the inaugural Monday Movie Review!:
The Prestige rated PG-13 (for some "disturbing" images)
starring: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Sir Michael Caine, Scarlett Johanssen
I am not known for my love of suspense movies. I much prefer knowing the outcome of a situation, and, to that end, I have read final pages of books first and purposely sought out reviews with "spoilers." If Rob has seen a movie before me, I make him tell me the end. I don't like to worry while I'm watching a movie, so if the characters meet an unhappy end, I like to know ahead of time.
So you would think that watching a suspense film about illusionists and their secrets would just about drive me over the edge, what with the not knowing and all. I hardly noticed it, my friends, because it was very good. In a nutshell: Robert (Jackman) and Alfred (Bale) are friends and rival magicians in turn-of-the-century London. Following an incident during a shared magic act, they become enemies trying to out-do each other's stage shows. Tormented by jealousy and obsession, the two men become bent on sacrificing everything to learn the other's secrets. As with all things, their obsessions threaten to destroy them. To say anymore would ruin it for you (unless you are like me, in which case, email me and I'll tell you the whole enchilada!) - I'll just say I had fun trying to figure it out. There was no gratuitous violence, language, or nudity, plus, Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale aren't too bad on the eyes (and there was a little Scarlett Johanssen for my hubs!)
If you want to pare it down even further, you can go with my brother-in-law's review:
It's Batman vs. Wolverine. (Brevity is the soul of wit, people.) Any way you look at it, The Prestige is a good night at the movies.
The Mother Load Rating: 4 Baskets
Friday, March 23, 2007
Phooey
I can't seem to get anything to go right with the blog, or my life in general today. I think I may need a brief internet hiatus to adjust my attitude. A little Station Identification, if you will. So in the spirit of If-You-Can't -Say-Anything-Nice . . ., I'll be back when I'm not so pissy feeling like myself again.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
We Can Work it Out
I need some advice, so naturally I turn to you, oh Internet Posse of Wisdom. After listening to some friends casually chat about what their kids do for chores, I have come to the realization that my kids are ruined with lassitude and apathy on the verge of spoilage unmotivated and unchallenged in the domestic arena. I am ashamed to say that they do very little. Ashamed because I know that I am not allowing them to develop the skills that will serve them so well through life - and, well, isn't that my job and all? They are still in that stage where they want to help me, so I need to harness that power and get them while the getting is good. Plus, I am just plain tired. 99 % of the housework falls to me, and while I realize that I am home for most of the day, Mom-at-home does not equal maid-at-home. The times, they are a changin'.
So what I ask you is this:
Do you have a chore schedule that works well for your home? How do you divide the labor and when do your children do these chores? (eg: after-school, nights, weekends) Where do you post these chores? Are the children allowed to pick and choose, switch, or trade, or are they locked-in to what they've been assigned? What are the consequences for unfinished chores?
And furthermore - do you pay allowance for chores? Our kids do not get allowances, and I am loathe to give them money for doing things that need to be done to keep a household running smoothly (like setting/clearing dishes). They need to realize the value of contributing to the household without expecting anything in return. (Besides, if someone's getting paid for housework, it's going be me - I'm just sayin' . . .) However, I am not opposed to giving them money for special projects that go above and beyond the daily duties. I think it teaches a good lesson about thrift and charity to have to make decisions about your own little pile of filthy lucre.
While I'm asking you to divulge your Household Secrets of State, I might as well keep going. I'm in a quandary about how to "let go" enough to let the children manage on their own. Let's put it this way: it takes a herculean effort, and some hard-core avoidance, to keep me from re-making Older Girl's bed in the morning. I have taught myself to honor her commitment to the job by not correcting it, and she really has gotten better over the years. How often do you step in when chores are not done to adult satisfaction? Do you make the kids do them again? I am afraid, for instance, that if I tell Older Girl to mop the kitchen floor, that I will become possessed with an uncontrollable desire to follow behind her with a rag and hit all the spots she misses. Nothing inspires more self-reliance than being subconsciously told that you aren't capable enough to wipe dirt off of the floor, right? (But sometimes doing it myself is so much faster.)
I am not a clean-freak, per se (although there are many who would dispute that claim), but I am a dyed-in-the-wool perfectionist, with a little dollop of OCD thrown in for good measure. Plus, of all the members of the family save Baby Girl, I am the one who has to spend the most time in the house just looking at the state of things. Am I unreasonable?
Oh, and one more thing, how do you divide the labor? According to age? Ability? Obviously, there will be things that The Boy cannot do on his own, but that's not a get-out-of-jail-free card. There is no such thing as a free lunch in these parts.
This is a work in progress for me, and I'd appreciate your input. If you don't have kids yet, how did the work detail go down in your childhood home? Regular readers and lurkers unite, and give me some straight talk about chores. Have at it, peeps!
So what I ask you is this:
Do you have a chore schedule that works well for your home? How do you divide the labor and when do your children do these chores? (eg: after-school, nights, weekends) Where do you post these chores? Are the children allowed to pick and choose, switch, or trade, or are they locked-in to what they've been assigned? What are the consequences for unfinished chores?
And furthermore - do you pay allowance for chores? Our kids do not get allowances, and I am loathe to give them money for doing things that need to be done to keep a household running smoothly (like setting/clearing dishes). They need to realize the value of contributing to the household without expecting anything in return. (Besides, if someone's getting paid for housework, it's going be me - I'm just sayin' . . .) However, I am not opposed to giving them money for special projects that go above and beyond the daily duties. I think it teaches a good lesson about thrift and charity to have to make decisions about your own little pile of filthy lucre.
While I'm asking you to divulge your Household Secrets of State, I might as well keep going. I'm in a quandary about how to "let go" enough to let the children manage on their own. Let's put it this way: it takes a herculean effort, and some hard-core avoidance, to keep me from re-making Older Girl's bed in the morning. I have taught myself to honor her commitment to the job by not correcting it, and she really has gotten better over the years. How often do you step in when chores are not done to adult satisfaction? Do you make the kids do them again? I am afraid, for instance, that if I tell Older Girl to mop the kitchen floor, that I will become possessed with an uncontrollable desire to follow behind her with a rag and hit all the spots she misses. Nothing inspires more self-reliance than being subconsciously told that you aren't capable enough to wipe dirt off of the floor, right? (But sometimes doing it myself is so much faster.)
I am not a clean-freak, per se (although there are many who would dispute that claim), but I am a dyed-in-the-wool perfectionist, with a little dollop of OCD thrown in for good measure. Plus, of all the members of the family save Baby Girl, I am the one who has to spend the most time in the house just looking at the state of things. Am I unreasonable?
Oh, and one more thing, how do you divide the labor? According to age? Ability? Obviously, there will be things that The Boy cannot do on his own, but that's not a get-out-of-jail-free card. There is no such thing as a free lunch in these parts.
This is a work in progress for me, and I'd appreciate your input. If you don't have kids yet, how did the work detail go down in your childhood home? Regular readers and lurkers unite, and give me some straight talk about chores. Have at it, peeps!
Friday, March 16, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
How Could I Resist?
I have seen this meme in a few corners of Blogville and at some of my regular haunts (4andcounting, SFO Mom), and as a card-carrying (diploma-carrying?) English major and bibliophile, I had to do this. It's a little like Whisper Down the Alley - every list I see is just a smidge different than the one I saw before it, as I'm sure it will be with my list.
KEY:
Bold type = a book I've read
Italics = a book I want to read
Strike Through = a book I don't want to read or one I really disliked
Underline = books in my personal library
* = books I've never heard of
! = I loved it! I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats! I heartily recommend this book!
(Any colored text is just some added editorializing, because you know my two cents are burning a hole in my pocket!)
The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) ! Elizabeth, Darcy - I can never get enough.
To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) ! Who doesn't love this?
Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien) I have never read these, but I feel like seeing the movies is the next best thing. Somewhere, my husband hangs his head and weeps. I'm sure I will get to them eventually
The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery) ! My ALL-TIME favorite fiction book (and series of books) EVER. I have loved Anne since the moment I read the first page, and my copies are worn and tattered from so much re-reading.
Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Rowling) !
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling) !
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(Rowling) !
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire(Rowling) !
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling) !
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Rowling) !
Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
The Stand (Stephen King)
Ulysses (James Joyce) Oh yeah, baby. Read this in college and struggled through every.single.page. You know it's going to be hard when your professor tells you "Good Luck with understanding this." Amy feels my pain.
Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) ! Sometimes I feel like the first Mrs. Rochester . . .
The Hobbit (Tolkien) I read almost all of this, so I am taking credit for it. And the tears of my husband keep flowing . . .
The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger) !
Little Women (Louisa May Alcott) ! I cried when Jo cut off her hair.
The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte) ! "I am Heathcliff!"
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis) !
East of Eden (John Steinbeck) !
Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
Dune (Frank Herbert)
The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
1984 (Orwell) !
The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett) *
The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)*
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister (Gregory Maguire)
The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
Bible ! I italicized the Bible because I always want to read more.
Anna Karenina (Tolstoy) !
The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt) !
The Blue Sword (Robin Mckinley)*
She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver) !
A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens) !
Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)*
Great Expectations (Dickens) !
The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald) !
The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)*
The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky) !
The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
War and Peace (Leo Tolstoy) !
Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
The Hiding Place (Corrie Tin Boon)
The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
Les Miserables (Hugo)
The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
Shogun (James Clavell)
The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett) !
Redeeming Love (Francine Rivers)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith) !
The World According To Garp (John Irving)
The Giver (Lois Lowry)
Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White) !
Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)*
Of Mice And Men (John Steinbeck) !
Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)*
Emma (Jane Austen)
Watership Down (Richard Adams)
Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)*
Blindness (Jose Saramago)
Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer) *
Any works by Shakespeare ! How can you not include old Bill on this list?
The Talisman (Stephen King)
Lord of the Flies (Golding) !
The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
Paradise Lost (John Milton) This one's a toughie, but worth it. I had an entire class in college on this one poem, and we probably could have had an entire class on just one quarter of what we covered. Lots of brainwork.
The Canterbury Tales (Chaucer) I had a prof. in college who made us memorize the prologue and recite it to her - in medieval English! She was hard-core, but an awesome teacher. I am ashamed to admit that, while I was her student, I didn't give her the credit where credit was SO due. At least hindsight is 20/20.
The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
Lightning (Dean Koontz)*
The Diary of Anne Frank (Anne Frank) ! Love, love, love this book. Makes me feel so small, but in a good "get over yourself" kind of way.
Whoa -this took me much longer than I expected! As you can see, we own quite a few books named on this list, but not all of them are in bold print. That's because Rob is like a reading robot Renaissance man who reads stuff like Bleak House (another Dickens gem) just for laughs. He kicks my butt at reading the classics! When I had my Shakespeare course in college, Rob, who was in med school up in NY, decided to buy himself a copy of Shakespeare's complete works and read along with my coursework. You know, in case he had some time in between seeing patients, going to class, and staying up all night while he was on call. Do you see why I married him?
I'm not going to specifically tag anyone for this, because it is long and all my peeps are uber-busy women, but I know Amy would get a kick out of it. If anyone decides to tackle it, let me know in the comments.
KEY:
Bold type = a book I've read
Italics = a book I want to read
Strike Through = a book I don't want to read or one I really disliked
Underline = books in my personal library
* = books I've never heard of
! = I loved it! I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats! I heartily recommend this book!
(Any colored text is just some added editorializing, because you know my two cents are burning a hole in my pocket!)
Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) ! Elizabeth, Darcy - I can never get enough.
To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) ! Who doesn't love this?
Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien) I have never read these, but I feel like seeing the movies is the next best thing. Somewhere, my husband hangs his head and weeps. I'm sure I will get to them eventually
The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery) ! My ALL-TIME favorite fiction book (and series of books) EVER. I have loved Anne since the moment I read the first page, and my copies are worn and tattered from so much re-reading.
Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Rowling) !
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling) !
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(Rowling) !
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire(Rowling) !
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling) !
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Rowling) !
Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
The Stand (Stephen King)
Ulysses (James Joyce) Oh yeah, baby. Read this in college and struggled through every.single.page. You know it's going to be hard when your professor tells you "Good Luck with understanding this." Amy feels my pain.
Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) ! Sometimes I feel like the first Mrs. Rochester . . .
The Hobbit (Tolkien) I read almost all of this, so I am taking credit for it. And the tears of my husband keep flowing . . .
The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger) !
Little Women (Louisa May Alcott) ! I cried when Jo cut off her hair.
The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte) ! "I am Heathcliff!"
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis) !
East of Eden (John Steinbeck) !
Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
Dune (Frank Herbert)
The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
1984 (Orwell) !
The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett) *
The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)*
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister (Gregory Maguire)
The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
Bible ! I italicized the Bible because I always want to read more.
Anna Karenina (Tolstoy) !
The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt) !
The Blue Sword (Robin Mckinley)*
She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver) !
A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens) !
Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)*
Great Expectations (Dickens) !
The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald) !
The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)*
The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky) !
The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
War and Peace (Leo Tolstoy) !
Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
The Hiding Place (Corrie Tin Boon)
The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
Les Miserables (Hugo)
The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
Shogun (James Clavell)
The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett) !
Redeeming Love (Francine Rivers)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith) !
The World According To Garp (John Irving)
The Giver (Lois Lowry)
Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White) !
Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)*
Of Mice And Men (John Steinbeck) !
Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)*
Emma (Jane Austen)
Watership Down (Richard Adams)
Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)*
Blindness (Jose Saramago)
Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer) *
Any works by Shakespeare ! How can you not include old Bill on this list?
The Talisman (Stephen King)
Lord of the Flies (Golding) !
The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
Paradise Lost (John Milton) This one's a toughie, but worth it. I had an entire class in college on this one poem, and we probably could have had an entire class on just one quarter of what we covered. Lots of brainwork.
The Canterbury Tales (Chaucer) I had a prof. in college who made us memorize the prologue and recite it to her - in medieval English! She was hard-core, but an awesome teacher. I am ashamed to admit that, while I was her student, I didn't give her the credit where credit was SO due. At least hindsight is 20/20.
The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
Lightning (Dean Koontz)*
The Diary of Anne Frank (Anne Frank) ! Love, love, love this book. Makes me feel so small, but in a good "get over yourself" kind of way.
Whoa -this took me much longer than I expected! As you can see, we own quite a few books named on this list, but not all of them are in bold print. That's because Rob is like a reading robot Renaissance man who reads stuff like Bleak House (another Dickens gem) just for laughs. He kicks my butt at reading the classics! When I had my Shakespeare course in college, Rob, who was in med school up in NY, decided to buy himself a copy of Shakespeare's complete works and read along with my coursework. You know, in case he had some time in between seeing patients, going to class, and staying up all night while he was on call. Do you see why I married him?
I'm not going to specifically tag anyone for this, because it is long and all my peeps are uber-busy women, but I know Amy would get a kick out of it. If anyone decides to tackle it, let me know in the comments.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Springing Forward
It's funny to me that even when I am anticipating the arrival of something, it still finds a way to sneak up on me. Does this make me inattentive? Easily distracted? I'm not sure. I think I've always had a "watched pot never boils" kind of sensibility about me. The more desirous I am of an event, the longer it takes to meet fruition, or so it seems. I try to occupy myself with the Present. I don't always get it right; I am not always living in the moment. I am still surprised by the arrival of something I once perceived as long-awaited.
I have noticed that Winter is finally releasing its icy grip. It's hard to pinpoint the beginning; the changing of the seasons. It's like a summer dusk; you don't realize that the light has grown fainter until you are in the midst of the gloaming, and the heavy sun has sunk below the horizon. Ice is shrinking away from the banks of ponds and streams, creating little white, bobbing islands. It is breaking up in the river, heading downstream and jockeying for position as it floats under and around the bridge abutments.
I have noticed that Winter is finally releasing its icy grip. It's hard to pinpoint the beginning; the changing of the seasons. It's like a summer dusk; you don't realize that the light has grown fainter until you are in the midst of the gloaming, and the heavy sun has sunk below the horizon. Ice is shrinking away from the banks of ponds and streams, creating little white, bobbing islands. It is breaking up in the river, heading downstream and jockeying for position as it floats under and around the bridge abutments.
Mounds of snow, now dirty with exhaust, are hard to distinguish from the rocks on the hillsides. The fields are muddy, but not with the fallowness of Fall. They are spiked with tips of green, hints of the elysian summer pastures to come. The branches are not stark against the sky. They are feathered and softened, and I find myself wondering when those buds appeared.
The warmer air is ushered in by the sweet and fragrant Zephyr, supplanting the stinging and strident Mistral.
And the children. How can I miss the springing in the children? Their entire bodies are like coiled springs, waiting to release their bounding and boundless kinetic energy. Wrists, lanky with new growth, are peeking out of coat sleeves, no longer hidden by mittens. Chestnut hair, no longer captive to a hat, is tousled, and pale cheeks are pinked with outdoor exertion and exuberance. There is frolicking and cavorting, and enough wily antics for me to notice the change.
I see Spring in them most of all - an expected surprise that I am glad to welcome.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Same Old, Same Old
It's back to the old grind this week, and I'm having party withdrawal.** I spent way too much time reading blogs during last week's Ultimate Blog Party, and now I am paying the piper - paying him with hard time in the laundry room. I am trying to catch up on all the chores I neglected when I so flagrantly broke the 11th Commandment last week, and things got so messy that I thought of maybe just lighting a match and starting from scratch. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed.
I read so many witty, well-written, and deeply moving blogs last week, and I was hard pressed not to subscribe to three or four or thirty new feeds. I have to admit to being a little - what's the word - intimidated? awed? exhausted? by some blogs out there. Women who are homeschooling their eight children while running a home-based business; dabbling in sustainable, organic farming; rising with the dawn to bake their own bread from scratch; and running a marathon in their spare time. I thought I was busy! All I have to say is that there are some amazing people out there.
I know the gals over at 5 Minutes for Mom want us to write a post all about our blog party circuit, and the new people we dig, but I am not exaggerating by saying that my family is in jeopardy of going commando if I do not get my act together. Add to that the fact that I have come to the dreaded and unfortunate conclusion that, if I hope to maintain any semblance of a schedule or agenda for the day, I need to hit the treadmill and get my run/walk in before the children are awake. Why is that such a dreaded and unfortunate conclusion you ask? Well, it does have a little something to do with the fact that The Boy wakes up at 5:15. In the morning. Have mercy! I might as well get my hand into sustainable, organic farming seeing as how I'll be up with the cows now anyway. Wish me luck - I'm already tired just thinking about it.
**I was able to overcome my post-party letdown with some sweet tickets to see The Police in concert this July. It's part of an anniversary gift for Rob, since he is the hard-core Police/Sting fan, but I admit to being pretty stoked about it myself.
I read so many witty, well-written, and deeply moving blogs last week, and I was hard pressed not to subscribe to three or four or thirty new feeds. I have to admit to being a little - what's the word - intimidated? awed? exhausted? by some blogs out there. Women who are homeschooling their eight children while running a home-based business; dabbling in sustainable, organic farming; rising with the dawn to bake their own bread from scratch; and running a marathon in their spare time. I thought I was busy! All I have to say is that there are some amazing people out there.
I know the gals over at 5 Minutes for Mom want us to write a post all about our blog party circuit, and the new people we dig, but I am not exaggerating by saying that my family is in jeopardy of going commando if I do not get my act together. Add to that the fact that I have come to the dreaded and unfortunate conclusion that, if I hope to maintain any semblance of a schedule or agenda for the day, I need to hit the treadmill and get my run/walk in before the children are awake. Why is that such a dreaded and unfortunate conclusion you ask? Well, it does have a little something to do with the fact that The Boy wakes up at 5:15. In the morning. Have mercy! I might as well get my hand into sustainable, organic farming seeing as how I'll be up with the cows now anyway. Wish me luck - I'm already tired just thinking about it.
**I was able to overcome my post-party letdown with some sweet tickets to see The Police in concert this July. It's part of an anniversary gift for Rob, since he is the hard-core Police/Sting fan, but I admit to being pretty stoked about it myself.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Come and knock on my door . . .
Hi! I'm so glad you could make it to my post for the Ultimate Blog Party. I'm not known for being a great mingler when it comes to parties (it takes me a long time to "warm up"), but I think I can handle letting you have a sneak peek at mi vida loca. Besides, all 3 or 4 of my regular readers may be getting tired of the memes I've been using to skirt the fact that my brain has dried up into a little desiccated bean. It makes a great sound rattling around my head, but it's not good for much else. So now that your expectations have been appropriately lowered, let's make the rounds of Aimee's World (party on! excellent!)
I am a working mother - because all mothers are working mothers! I stay home with my three children: Older Girl, 7; The Boy, 4; and Baby Girl, 8 months. I am married to Rob, an all around great guy. He's smart as a whip, but funny and self-deprecating, and he is a wonderful father. Plus, he lets me have the remote whenever I want it (which is always), so I totally lucked out.
I have a degree in English/Communications (even though, at times, this blog may contradict that), and I started this blog so that I could remember all the funny, annoying, endearing things about my family in its infancy and youth.
My days revolve around school activities, church, meal prep, diaper changes, molding young minds and souls, keeping the books in the black, keeping the house from collapsing into entropy, and occupational and speech therapy for The Boy. The Boy has a neurological disorder called Sensory Processing Disorder, which can make life interesting, but you'll never meet a happier, more loving child. What he lacks in sensory abilities, he more than makes up for in heart and gumption.
I am a working mother - because all mothers are working mothers! I stay home with my three children: Older Girl, 7; The Boy, 4; and Baby Girl, 8 months. I am married to Rob, an all around great guy. He's smart as a whip, but funny and self-deprecating, and he is a wonderful father. Plus, he lets me have the remote whenever I want it (which is always), so I totally lucked out.
I have a degree in English/Communications (even though, at times, this blog may contradict that), and I started this blog so that I could remember all the funny, annoying, endearing things about my family in its infancy and youth.
My days revolve around school activities, church, meal prep, diaper changes, molding young minds and souls, keeping the books in the black, keeping the house from collapsing into entropy, and occupational and speech therapy for The Boy. The Boy has a neurological disorder called Sensory Processing Disorder, which can make life interesting, but you'll never meet a happier, more loving child. What he lacks in sensory abilities, he more than makes up for in heart and gumption.
I have a loving and (at times, unintentionally) hilarious family; some totally boss in-laws; and I am still friends with girls I met in first grade, plus a few more special people that I've picked up along the way. I also belong to a vibrant Catholic parish (shout-out to Holy Trinity!).
Since I don't want this to start sounding like a singles ad (I like foreign films, Italian food, and weekends in the Caymans), I'll let you in on some of my guilty pleasures/personal secrets. This is by no means an exhaustive list (too embarrassing, even for blog fodder): anything made with butter or cream (basically every Paula Deen recipe); I love a "good" celebrity gossip mag, like People or US Weekly, while getting my hair done; I stop the clicker when TNT plays Dirty Dancing every. single. time.; when I'm alone in the car, I sing Kelly Clarkson or Christina Aguilera at the top of my lungs; I rehearse answering machine messages before I call people, just so I'm not caught unawares; I would freebase I.C. Caramels from Panera if I could, they are just that good; I'm a girly-girl and I enjoy a good makeup shopping spree; I read the Real Estate section of the newspaper and check out open houses, even though I am completely happy in my home and have no intention of moving in the near future.
I think I've bored you enough with that - on to the pictures! I usually refrain from pictures, especially of the children, but in the interest of being a good hostess, I'll let you see a few:
Here's the old homestead, nestled in the heart of the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania. I included a picture from the spring because I am sick of the slush and snow that's out there now.
And here are The Boy and myself, relaxing on a Mississippi River boat cruise in New Orleans (pre-Katrina). 
Another (crudely edited) picture from New Orleans - Older Girl, The Boy, and Mom, pre-Baby Girl
And I'll leave you with a couple of pictures of me and my one-and-only, Rob:
But wait, I haven't offered you anything to eat! (I guess I just lost the Hostess with the Mostess Award!) Here is a recipe for my family's favorite coffee cake, courtesy of Gale Gand and Food Network. It is delicious for breakfast . . . or lunch . . . or dinner, for that matter! We are German, after all, and we love our kuchen!
Pecan Coffee Cake
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand
For the pan dusting:
1/2 cup sugar; 1 tsp cinnamon
For the cake:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter; softened at room temperature; 1 cup granulated sugar; 3 eggs; 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 cup sour cream
For the topping: 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed; 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 3/4 cup pecans pieces
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, stir 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together. Butter a tube pan well and liberally coat it with the cinnamon sugar.
In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar and mix. Add the eggs and mix until the mixture is light and fluffy. Sift the sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Working in batches, add them to the butter-sugar mixture, alternating with dollops of sour cream. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Make the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, pinch the ingredients together into a sandy, crumbly mixture. Add the pecans and mix. Sprinkle the mixture over the cake.
Bake until risen and browned, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in the pan then turn out. Serve in slices.
Yields: 12 slices (or 6 slices if you live at my house!)
So there you have it - a little slice of life from my neck of the woods. I hope you had a good time, and that you'll come back to visit me again. There are tons of great blogs out there, all joining in the party fun, and you can go here to see some more of them. Spread the party love around, my friends!
Oh! And don't forget to de-lurk and leave me a little note when you visit!
Thursday, March 08, 2007
This Old Carpet
I just want to know Why? Why will an 8 month old baby, who has just spit-up a large part of her prune-and-cereal breakfast all over the living room rug, find nothing more fascinating to play with than the aforementioned spit-up. She can be surrounded by a sea of toys and other little choking-hazard type goodies found on the floor (her usual toy of choice), but once that spit-up is down there - well, look out! She might as well just get down and roll around in it - oh, wait, she already has. If that team from CSI ever came through with their Luminol and black lights, they would get an Ed-u-cation. I'm just sayin' . . .
Monday, March 05, 2007
Lovin' Blogful
Wheee! I am positively giddy from all of the party shenanigans going down in Blogville this week. I am not ashamed to admit that I so love all the comments for my party post. Each one is like a little ego stroke, even though most people are probably just being polite denizens of Blogville and responding to my request to "visit my site if you get the chance" that I left in their com-boxes. "Visit my site if you get the chance" is obviously code for "Puh-leeeeeze leave me a comment. Puh-leee-hee-hee-hee-heeeeeze . . . "
And you did! So I thank you, very sweetly, and I promise to stop checking my comments so obsessively. Right after this one last time, I swear.
And you did! So I thank you, very sweetly, and I promise to stop checking my comments so obsessively. Right after this one last time, I swear.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
You Asked For It . . .
Well, maybe you didn't, but Sara did, so you can thank her later. I dodged the "100 Things About Me" on my 100th post (which was 27 posts ago, but who's counting?), but I've been called out, and I'm no chicken . . . although I used to own chickens, but you'll have to read the whole list for the details!
1. My second toe is longer than my big toe. I've been told that's a mark of royalty, but I've also been known to suffer from delusions of grandeur.
2. I used to live on a Marine Corps Air Station and it was the happiest neighborhood I've ever known.
3. I've broken the same toe three times. By stubbing it on the baseboard.
4. I've also broken my wrist. By reaching out for a railing that wasn't there.
5. My dad used to call me "Grace." I wonder why . . .
6. I am an early riser by nature. I like to feel that most of my work is done by noon and the rest of the day is a downward slide towards bed.
7. It never works out that way. I'm always working on something.
8. I have a serious office supply fetish. It's an illness.
9. I used to be a pack rat, and then I married a military man and I became a purger. Less stuff for the Navy to lose or break.
10. I also learned that when the packers come to your house, they are under orders to pack everything that is not nailed down. We once unwrapped a 3 inch long sliver of soap and half of an eraserless pencil. Friends of ours once unwrapped the contents of their kitchen garbage.
11. I took typing, but I still hunt and peck. But I am pretty darn fast.
12. Speaking of typing, I miss our old typewriter. It made such a satisfying "thud, ding!" when you finished a line and the carriage returned.
13. I do not miss those stupid little White-Out films that you used to correct typewriter mistakes. Spell check me, baby!
14. I started going gray in my late teens/early twenties - it's genetic, I knew it was coming.
15. I took 6 years of Spanish, and although I have lost the ability to speak it very well, I can pretty much read anything in Spanish. I read signs in Spanish just to keep up my skillz.
16. I went to 12 years of Catholic school, and I found that my first year at college was easier than my last year of high school.
17. I prefer chocolate chip cookies without the chips. So I guess that means that I like cookies.
18. I went to college with about 12 Amy/Amey/Aimees. 5 of us lived on the same floor in our freshman year. Our parents were on board with 1975-76: Year of the Amy
19. For that reason, we all went by our first and middle names. My middle name begins with a "C" and it was shortened into one of its diminutive forms when paired with my first name.
20. Guess what it is in the comments. (And if you are an old friend/family, don't give it away!)
21. My name was supposed to be Kathleen, but my dad held me for the first time and said, "There's my Aimee."
22. Little bit of a surprise to my mom.
23. I love the beach, and I dream about going to Hawaii or the Caribbean. Especially at this time of year.
24. My family used to own chickens that my sister's class hatched during a science lesson.
25. We had one rooster and one hen and they were named George and Martha. As in Washington.
26. My dad built them their own chicken condo, complete with heat lamps for the winter.
27. They more than doubled their life expectancies, and they were good pets, but they stank to high heaven in the summer!
28. They are buried in the garden in matching plots.
29. I am the oldest of 40 first cousins on my mother's side.
30. My maternal grandmother is one of 13. My mother is one of 8.
31. I am 31.
32. I love the Autumn, even though everything is dying. I feel more alive.
33. I cannot read in front of the TV or listening to the radio. I get too distracted.
34. I have great pregnancies and deliveries - it's the postpartum that's not so great.
35. It takes me about a full year to really get through postpartum depression. Better living through chemicals, people.
36. I like to exercise if I don't think of it as exercise.
37. I once lost a spelling bee on the word guarantee. I still can't spell that without thinking really hard first.. And even then, it usually pops up on spell check.
38. Otherwise, I am a pretty accurate speller.
39. I am the oldest of four children.
40. I know all the words to the theme song from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
41. I have been known to read baby name books just for fun. I am fascinated by names.
42. Every librarian I've ever known has been grumpy, and I can never figure out why. But maybe I would be grumpy too, if I had to reshelve all those books.
43. Sometimes I feel very restless, and I wish that I could just pack up my old kit bag and hit the road.
44. But when I'm travelling, I hit a point where I just want to go back home and stay there. That's how I know I'm not a wanderer at heart.
45. I've never been outside of the US, but I have big plans for travel when the kids are a smidge older.
46. I like taking The Boy to therapy because I don't feel like I need to explain anything there. They get it.
47. I have a major sugar addiction. I used to have Skittles and a Coke during my 8 am classes in college.
48. I've also had a lot of dental work in my past, even though I am meticulous about dentist appointments and cleanings.
49. I still have a permanent retainer on my bottom teeth. I've had it for almost 20 years.
50. Am I only halfway through? Gah . . .
51. Rob and I once spent 6 hours on the phone - for one conversation. We didn't see each other very much while we were dating, so something had to give.
52. We still haven't run out of things to talk about - that's how I know we were meant to be together.
53. I am very specific about my pillows, and I hate when Rob puts his head on them. He does it just to bug me.
54. I always wonder if guests think my house is weird.
55. I just discovered that I like pomegranate martinis.
56. I am allergic to cats, grass pollen, nine hardwood trees, and pig hair.
57. Apparently, old sofas and chairs used to be stuffed with pig hair. Lots and lots of pig hair.
So when I start itching around antique furniture, I always wonder if I'm sitting on a huge mound of pig hair.
58. I am also allergic to penicillin.
59. Our garage is where strollers go to die. We can never seem to keep one from breaking after just a few months of use.
60. It bugs me when my neighbors come and dump all kinds of yard clippings and tree branches in the empty lot next to my house. Especially the guy who drives his tractor all the way from the other side of the development.
61. We get a real tree for Christmas every year, even though I can see the merit in a fake tree when I am taking our tree down.
62. My dad made his First Communion on the same day as me.
63. I have perfect vision.
64. That's about the only thing "perfect" on my body, and I'm OK with that. Perfection is too much work.
65. I hate tweezing my eyebrows, and I am afraid of waxing, so sometimes I look a little like a mad scientist.
66. My kids birthdays are June, July, and August. We have the summer birthdays covered.
67. Sometimes I don't call people because I'm afraid they won't want to talk to me, and I hate rejection.
68. I love to send and receive snail mail, and I buy cards months in advance.
69. I've never eaten anything made by Chef Boyardee in my whole life. My mother is part Italian and we always had homemade Italian food.
70. I am a Capricorn and so is Rob. We always have the same goals.
71. Moving away to college did wonders for my relationship with my mom. She let go, I grew up, and now we are great friends.
72. Southern sweet tea is so delicious.
73. So is a properly made biscuit. I could eat hundreds of them.
74. I didn't learn to drive until I was 21, but I got a free pizza when I took my driver's test, just for putting on my seat belt without being asked. Gotta love the State of Florida.
75. I once talked the State of New York out of giving my husband a ticket for something he didn't do. The guy got so tired of listening to me that he just erased the charge to get me to hang up.
76. I like showers so hot that my skin turns red.
77. I've never had a manicure, pedicure, facial, or a massage. I'm intimidated by them for some reason.
78. I don't really like the middle part of an Oreo - I just eat it because it's easier than scraping it off.
79. When I get started on a project, I like to work straight through until it's finished. It really bothers me if I need to leave something undone.
80. I drink 64 ounces of water every day. I started doing that when I was pregnant and I never stopped. I can feel the difference when I don't get enough water.
81. I used to spend entire summer afternoons roaming my neighborhood, playing in the woods by myself, or walking to the pool. It was great, and I mourn the loss of that for my kids.
82. I've been known to watch infomercials. It drives Rob crazy.
83. I'm not a good gardener, but that doesn't stop me from planting stuff every year. Hope springs eternal - but so do weeds.
84. I did not find out the gender of my children before they were born, but my gut feeling about them was correct each time.
85. My grandmother once made me a dress out of the same material she used to slipcover her sofa. It was really pretty material, though.
86. I was disappointed when I had to get a fiberglass cast on my arm instead of a plaster one. Fiberglass is much harder to sign, and what's the point of having a cast if no one can sign it? (well, you know, besides immobilizing your broken bone so it can heal, blahblahblah)
87. Sometimes I'll "see" something that's going to happen. Not days before, like a psychic or something, but the second before something happens, I'll just know in my gut what's about to go down. It's hard to explain, but I believe it is God or my guardian angel telling me what to watch out for.
88. I bite my fingernails, especially when I'm nervous.
89. I drove myself and the kids from Pennsylvania to Florida, and back. It was a long, long drive.
90. Home stretch, people, don't bail on me now!
91. When I'm really angry, I just get very quiet and sometimes I cry. If I'm yelling and stomping, you can be pretty sure it will all blow over soon.
92. I have a small mouth, but a long tongue, so I bite my tongue. A lot.
93. Coffee ice cream is probably one of the world's most perfect foods.
94. I wish that I could find a good adult beginner tap dance class because I'd love to tap dance.
95. I have an absurdly large collection of purses. I am the Imelda Marcos of handbags.
96. I don't tan. I burn and then go straight back to being white.
97. I used to enjoy grocery shopping. Then I had kids, and now I hate it.
98. I love a big brunch. Especially when someone else makes it.
99. I am a control freak about my kitchen. I try not to be, but it is very hard for me to let people help me out in the kitchen. But anywhere else is in the house is up for grabs.
100. The last one! Huzzah! Let's see, what will I divulge? That I've always wanted to be a pirate? No. That I ate so many marshmallows in my youth that now I can't stand them? Nah. That when I was 10 my career goal was to drive a big rig? That I wanted to join the circus but couldn't stand the smell? That I love the smell of unlit cigarettes? Huh. I got nothin'.
1. My second toe is longer than my big toe. I've been told that's a mark of royalty, but I've also been known to suffer from delusions of grandeur.
2. I used to live on a Marine Corps Air Station and it was the happiest neighborhood I've ever known.
3. I've broken the same toe three times. By stubbing it on the baseboard.
4. I've also broken my wrist. By reaching out for a railing that wasn't there.
5. My dad used to call me "Grace." I wonder why . . .
6. I am an early riser by nature. I like to feel that most of my work is done by noon and the rest of the day is a downward slide towards bed.
7. It never works out that way. I'm always working on something.
8. I have a serious office supply fetish. It's an illness.
9. I used to be a pack rat, and then I married a military man and I became a purger. Less stuff for the Navy to lose or break.
10. I also learned that when the packers come to your house, they are under orders to pack everything that is not nailed down. We once unwrapped a 3 inch long sliver of soap and half of an eraserless pencil. Friends of ours once unwrapped the contents of their kitchen garbage.
11. I took typing, but I still hunt and peck. But I am pretty darn fast.
12. Speaking of typing, I miss our old typewriter. It made such a satisfying "thud, ding!" when you finished a line and the carriage returned.
13. I do not miss those stupid little White-Out films that you used to correct typewriter mistakes. Spell check me, baby!
14. I started going gray in my late teens/early twenties - it's genetic, I knew it was coming.
15. I took 6 years of Spanish, and although I have lost the ability to speak it very well, I can pretty much read anything in Spanish. I read signs in Spanish just to keep up my skillz.
16. I went to 12 years of Catholic school, and I found that my first year at college was easier than my last year of high school.
17. I prefer chocolate chip cookies without the chips. So I guess that means that I like cookies.
18. I went to college with about 12 Amy/Amey/Aimees. 5 of us lived on the same floor in our freshman year. Our parents were on board with 1975-76: Year of the Amy
19. For that reason, we all went by our first and middle names. My middle name begins with a "C" and it was shortened into one of its diminutive forms when paired with my first name.
20. Guess what it is in the comments. (And if you are an old friend/family, don't give it away!)
21. My name was supposed to be Kathleen, but my dad held me for the first time and said, "There's my Aimee."
22. Little bit of a surprise to my mom.
23. I love the beach, and I dream about going to Hawaii or the Caribbean. Especially at this time of year.
24. My family used to own chickens that my sister's class hatched during a science lesson.
25. We had one rooster and one hen and they were named George and Martha. As in Washington.
26. My dad built them their own chicken condo, complete with heat lamps for the winter.
27. They more than doubled their life expectancies, and they were good pets, but they stank to high heaven in the summer!
28. They are buried in the garden in matching plots.
29. I am the oldest of 40 first cousins on my mother's side.
30. My maternal grandmother is one of 13. My mother is one of 8.
31. I am 31.
32. I love the Autumn, even though everything is dying. I feel more alive.
33. I cannot read in front of the TV or listening to the radio. I get too distracted.
34. I have great pregnancies and deliveries - it's the postpartum that's not so great.
35. It takes me about a full year to really get through postpartum depression. Better living through chemicals, people.
36. I like to exercise if I don't think of it as exercise.
37. I once lost a spelling bee on the word guarantee. I still can't spell that without thinking really hard first.. And even then, it usually pops up on spell check.
38. Otherwise, I am a pretty accurate speller.
39. I am the oldest of four children.
40. I know all the words to the theme song from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
41. I have been known to read baby name books just for fun. I am fascinated by names.
42. Every librarian I've ever known has been grumpy, and I can never figure out why. But maybe I would be grumpy too, if I had to reshelve all those books.
43. Sometimes I feel very restless, and I wish that I could just pack up my old kit bag and hit the road.
44. But when I'm travelling, I hit a point where I just want to go back home and stay there. That's how I know I'm not a wanderer at heart.
45. I've never been outside of the US, but I have big plans for travel when the kids are a smidge older.
46. I like taking The Boy to therapy because I don't feel like I need to explain anything there. They get it.
47. I have a major sugar addiction. I used to have Skittles and a Coke during my 8 am classes in college.
48. I've also had a lot of dental work in my past, even though I am meticulous about dentist appointments and cleanings.
49. I still have a permanent retainer on my bottom teeth. I've had it for almost 20 years.
50. Am I only halfway through? Gah . . .
51. Rob and I once spent 6 hours on the phone - for one conversation. We didn't see each other very much while we were dating, so something had to give.
52. We still haven't run out of things to talk about - that's how I know we were meant to be together.
53. I am very specific about my pillows, and I hate when Rob puts his head on them. He does it just to bug me.
54. I always wonder if guests think my house is weird.
55. I just discovered that I like pomegranate martinis.
56. I am allergic to cats, grass pollen, nine hardwood trees, and pig hair.
57. Apparently, old sofas and chairs used to be stuffed with pig hair. Lots and lots of pig hair.
So when I start itching around antique furniture, I always wonder if I'm sitting on a huge mound of pig hair.
58. I am also allergic to penicillin.
59. Our garage is where strollers go to die. We can never seem to keep one from breaking after just a few months of use.
60. It bugs me when my neighbors come and dump all kinds of yard clippings and tree branches in the empty lot next to my house. Especially the guy who drives his tractor all the way from the other side of the development.
61. We get a real tree for Christmas every year, even though I can see the merit in a fake tree when I am taking our tree down.
62. My dad made his First Communion on the same day as me.
63. I have perfect vision.
64. That's about the only thing "perfect" on my body, and I'm OK with that. Perfection is too much work.
65. I hate tweezing my eyebrows, and I am afraid of waxing, so sometimes I look a little like a mad scientist.
66. My kids birthdays are June, July, and August. We have the summer birthdays covered.
67. Sometimes I don't call people because I'm afraid they won't want to talk to me, and I hate rejection.
68. I love to send and receive snail mail, and I buy cards months in advance.
69. I've never eaten anything made by Chef Boyardee in my whole life. My mother is part Italian and we always had homemade Italian food.
70. I am a Capricorn and so is Rob. We always have the same goals.
71. Moving away to college did wonders for my relationship with my mom. She let go, I grew up, and now we are great friends.
72. Southern sweet tea is so delicious.
73. So is a properly made biscuit. I could eat hundreds of them.
74. I didn't learn to drive until I was 21, but I got a free pizza when I took my driver's test, just for putting on my seat belt without being asked. Gotta love the State of Florida.
75. I once talked the State of New York out of giving my husband a ticket for something he didn't do. The guy got so tired of listening to me that he just erased the charge to get me to hang up.
76. I like showers so hot that my skin turns red.
77. I've never had a manicure, pedicure, facial, or a massage. I'm intimidated by them for some reason.
78. I don't really like the middle part of an Oreo - I just eat it because it's easier than scraping it off.
79. When I get started on a project, I like to work straight through until it's finished. It really bothers me if I need to leave something undone.
80. I drink 64 ounces of water every day. I started doing that when I was pregnant and I never stopped. I can feel the difference when I don't get enough water.
81. I used to spend entire summer afternoons roaming my neighborhood, playing in the woods by myself, or walking to the pool. It was great, and I mourn the loss of that for my kids.
82. I've been known to watch infomercials. It drives Rob crazy.
83. I'm not a good gardener, but that doesn't stop me from planting stuff every year. Hope springs eternal - but so do weeds.
84. I did not find out the gender of my children before they were born, but my gut feeling about them was correct each time.
85. My grandmother once made me a dress out of the same material she used to slipcover her sofa. It was really pretty material, though.
86. I was disappointed when I had to get a fiberglass cast on my arm instead of a plaster one. Fiberglass is much harder to sign, and what's the point of having a cast if no one can sign it? (well, you know, besides immobilizing your broken bone so it can heal, blahblahblah)
87. Sometimes I'll "see" something that's going to happen. Not days before, like a psychic or something, but the second before something happens, I'll just know in my gut what's about to go down. It's hard to explain, but I believe it is God or my guardian angel telling me what to watch out for.
88. I bite my fingernails, especially when I'm nervous.
89. I drove myself and the kids from Pennsylvania to Florida, and back. It was a long, long drive.
90. Home stretch, people, don't bail on me now!
91. When I'm really angry, I just get very quiet and sometimes I cry. If I'm yelling and stomping, you can be pretty sure it will all blow over soon.
92. I have a small mouth, but a long tongue, so I bite my tongue. A lot.
93. Coffee ice cream is probably one of the world's most perfect foods.
94. I wish that I could find a good adult beginner tap dance class because I'd love to tap dance.
95. I have an absurdly large collection of purses. I am the Imelda Marcos of handbags.
96. I don't tan. I burn and then go straight back to being white.
97. I used to enjoy grocery shopping. Then I had kids, and now I hate it.
98. I love a big brunch. Especially when someone else makes it.
99. I am a control freak about my kitchen. I try not to be, but it is very hard for me to let people help me out in the kitchen. But anywhere else is in the house is up for grabs.
100. The last one! Huzzah! Let's see, what will I divulge? That I've always wanted to be a pirate? No. That I ate so many marshmallows in my youth that now I can't stand them? Nah. That when I was 10 my career goal was to drive a big rig? That I wanted to join the circus but couldn't stand the smell? That I love the smell of unlit cigarettes? Huh. I got nothin'.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
It's My Party . . .
Well, OK, it's not exactly my party, it's actually a huge bloggy Block Party, March 2-9, hosted by 5 minutes for Mom, complete with prizes!
See that button over there on my sidebar? Yeah, that's the one . . . click on it and it will whisk you away to the par-tay details, because we are all invited. And there are prizes. Lots of prizes. As an added bonus, you can get your blog noticed, meet new people, and you don't even have to do your hair or change your outfit fifty times. Oh, and did I mention that you can win prizes?
See you there!
See that button over there on my sidebar? Yeah, that's the one . . . click on it and it will whisk you away to the par-tay details, because we are all invited. And there are prizes. Lots of prizes. As an added bonus, you can get your blog noticed, meet new people, and you don't even have to do your hair or change your outfit fifty times. Oh, and did I mention that you can win prizes?
See you there!
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