The Mama In Red

Yes, Mama's still here!

2011-09-29T20:44:00.001-04:00

I have fallen off so many horses 'round these parts, I'm surprised I know my own way home! To say it's been hectic is an understatement. Observe:

Since I last wrote (March!!! At least it was this year!), so much has gone by. We've had my father up to visit while he was working. He was only here for a night, and in true fashion, the Husband and I had another event we attended that day--we paddled for one of the three Team CRAs in the Run of the Charles. It's a 24-mile canoe relay race. It was cold, but lots of fun. And? The Husband and I pulled in the win for CRA. So it wasn't a total wash. But Dad came up, got to eat some of my home cookin' and got to play the Son in MarioKart. The next morning, we walked down to the gorge, where he attempted to teach the kidlets how to skip stones.

Then, we got to go home for the first time in more than two years. I photographed a good friends' wedding. It was an amazing experience.

What a good time with some old friends! It was fun. But we also got to spend time with my parents. Where again, the Son stuck to Pop Pop like glue. It was a weekend of air hockey, swimming, and shopping. Fun was had by all.

The Daughter was enamored with Mom's net book.

Dad and the Son worked on this helicopter that you build

and then fly all weekend.

Then, in July, I got busier. Freelance has seriously built up, which is AMAZING. However, I feel like it should still just be May. I can't believe that the entire summer has passed me right by. Fast forward to August, when Football and Cheerleading start. And now, no evenings or weekends are mine. Seriously, I think my oven has started to wonder where I've been. We've had more takeout, drive-thru, and peanut butter sammiches than ever. I couldn't even make it on time to bake the ceremonial "First Day of School Cookies" until the night of the first day!

The Son is playing flag football this year, and it's a good time. He's finally starting to grasp the concept. I don't care how he does, just that he shows effort in a team sport. He wants to play hockey (my wallet is crying!), but is working his way through football now. Which is nice, because both kids are on the field, but it just wears us out.

The Son is the tiny one in red, second from left.

Yep, that's the Daughter. The one on top.

So that brings us to fall. Where the Son had his First Day Of School (photos are on the iphone, sadly), and the "busy season" has begun. I shot another wedding last weekend (and haven't had a chance to download photos yet) and had another senior portrait session this week. And we're headed to Maine this weekend (hopefully) for some family R&R.

Who am I kidding, there will be no rest. And likely no relaxation. But it'll be a fun getaway, filled with fried clams and foliage.

What more could a Mama ask for?

Mama's Bitchin' Kitchen

2011-03-24T21:46:00.001-04:00

I realize that I haven't written in forever. So I started reading some of my old posts and came to an alarming conclusion: I never blog about my cooking. Those of you that know me know that I am all about cooking and baking. And if I do say so myself, I'm pretty damn good at it. Cooking and baking are basics to learn, and with time, focus, and patience (trust me, I have none); anyone can master it. Baking scares a lot of people, and that makes me sad. Baking is so much fun, and there's nothing better than showing up to an event with some freshly baked goodness and having people ooh and aah over how good they came out. Of course, I get a little offended sometimes when I feel like people doubt my abilities, which usually makes me flex my baking muscles. I was once told that lemon bars were impossible by someone who was a mediocre cook at best. So I went home that night and made two pans. They were fantastic, might I add...

Anywho, the point. I love to cook and bake. From scratch. I don't do box mixes or icing cans. And I've yet to come across a recipe that scares me. (Yes, there was that one mishap, but I've accepted it and moved on.) So I'll do my best to post more about the good eats here. 'Cause if it's one thing I've learned, food will bring people, whether it be to my house or to read my blog. Hey, maybe that's why I've been invited to more events lately?

So, Mama's whippin' up some chocolate, red-velvetish cupcakes. Not true red velvet, because it's too damn hard (and expensive) to find unprocessed dutch cocoa. And really, I just don't have the time. Maybe when I get an assistant, that should be their first assignment. A friend called and asked me to whip up some goodness for a bridal shower, and I was glad to step up. She's actually recommended me to bake, photograph, design, and probably organize other people's lives--so of course I obliged. Like I said, any opportunity to flex my muscles and whip out the Analon pans...

Without further adieu, I give you:

They are a red velvet-like (which is chocolate with lots of baking soda, really) with a cream cheese icing. The bride is having black, pink and white as her colors, so I happened to have these hot pink sugars for a topping. Yes, I am really that nerd that can't walk past anything related to baking without bringing something home. I don't often share all my recipes, but the goodness of this one? The icing. Brace yourself:

2 sticks of butter
8 oz (1 brick) cream cheese--I always use Neufchatel cheese
3-3.5 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

That's it. Beat the butter, beat in the cream cheese, toss in the vanilla, and slowly add in the powdered sugar. Now, I added more sugar to my recipe because I wanted it to be really firm--note the tips of the icing. I did this because the last time I used Cabot butter, it started to fall apart on me like a margarine would.

You're welcome.

The journey to fill a void...

2011-01-21T15:44:00.002-05:00

For the past month or so, the kidlets have been on a mission. They've been pulling at the Husband and I until we caved (We being me, the Husband just followed). We tried to resist and stand tall together, but deep inside, we knew they were right, we were ready. Enter the fill to our void, appropriately named by the kidlets, Bella:

She's a doll isn't she? I know, it's unlikely. The kidlets, they banded together against us and won. They wanted a dog. Not just any dog, but a small dog. A dog that could wear sweaters and was smaller than them and would be all snuggly. My first choice for something small was an Italian Greyhound. So I set out to find one.

You know what I found? That I can't stand rescues that clearly have no urgency to adopt out their animals. I've done work with animal rescues most of my life. And what I can never get past is how they make people jump through hoops, tell them "You must have W, X, Y, and Z all approved, and then email us before we'll even answer you." And when you complete all of the above, and then they still don't call you? Seriously, no one should have to beg to pay money and save an animal. It's just silly.

So anyhow, I turned to my trusty friend, Craigslist. And I came across a great lady who has her own rescue, but she does cats, dogs, geese, ducks, horses, llamas, anything. I think she's really like the animal whisperer, they must just show up at her door. But she sprung Bella from the pound. And through speaking to her, we realized that Bella had all the qualities we were looking for in a companion. Most importantly, she did not have the qualities we didn't want. And now, she's our dog. And we love her. And I'm pretty sure she's happy to be a part of our family, too. I mean, just look at her sitting so pretty in her new winter coat:

She is truly a great dog. She loves rides in the truck, she gets super-excited to put on a sweater or coat, she adores the kidlets, and she even burrows under the covers at night. (When I don't want her in bed with me & The Husband, she does so in the Daughter's bed!) But you gotta watch her tongue, she gets a bit excited in the morning and tries to clean off your face:

I mean, look at that thing! It's huge!

Welcome to the family, Bella!

A story about a boy and his hippo

2011-01-21T15:16:00.000-05:00

I love this kid.

Mama's Bitchin' Kitchen: A Recipe

2011-01-11T13:52:00.000-05:00

I don't normally give out recipes, because quite honestly, I'd rather make them for you. It's a control thing. If I've taken my time to write up a recipe, I'm always worried that I'll give it out, someone will scribble it down and then mess it all up. And then that would ruin my 'rep around these parts. So hold onto your hats, this is a good one.

It's only week two of the new year, and judging by the attendance at the gym lately, people are still on this losin' weight thing for a resolution. How long until this wears off? 'Cause if I've gotta scrounge up a matching set of dumbbells again at the gym, I'm going to lose my patience.

One of the hardest things for me after a tough workout is to fight the voracious appetite that follows for the rest of the day. So I try to keep high-protein items around to keep me filled up. And I'm attempting to drink more water. Which has made me acutely aware that I need to stock up on entirely more toilet paper than I have been lately. But anyhow, one of the recipes I've worked up lately is a good granola recipe. I make a batch, and even the kidlets are crazy for this stuff. Get your pen:

Mama's Granola

*All of these items are from the bulk section of the grocery store. Not sure where they keep it?
Look around the organics. Or close to produce.

___
DRY INGREDIENTS:

2 c. raw rolled oats (NOT quick-cooking)

1/2 c. Almonds--slivered or whole, but if whole, use a food chopper or processor.

1/2 c. Soy Nuts

1/4 c. Pistachios, chopped

1/3 c. coconut

Dash cinnamon

___

WET INGREDIENTS:

1/2 c. honey

2-3 Tbsp. Vegetable oil

2-3 Tbsp. Molasses

1/4 c. brown sugar

pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray. Mix dry ingredients in a huge bowl. In a small pan, combine your wet ingredients and mix with a whisk until blended and thin, not gloppy. Add wet ingredients to dry and thoroughly coat. Spread on cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Pull out of oven and let cool and harden before putting into a glass jar or plastic bag. Scoop out and eat!

___

A few notes:

Spray your measuring cup with nonstick spray before measuring your honey--then it won't stick. (Coat your spatula and bowl, too, if you wish)
You can add 1 tsp. vanilla to the wet ingredients *after* you remove it from the heat. I did not, and I add vanilla to EVERYTHING. I think this is great without it.
On my first run, I ran out of honey. So I added a bit of Karo Light Corn Syrup to the mix. Personally, I think that batch turned out better. The Husband likes this batch with all honey. Try both, see what you like.
Use Vegetable oil, not olive oil. Olive oil has a lower smoking point. You can use a canola or corn oil, but I would stick with a vegetable base at least. Enova is great oil, too.
I added more soy nuts the second time around. The Husband first tasted them from the bag and was disgusted by them. But add them all together, and I swear it is amazing.

Now, go forth and eat!

Waving good-bye...or hello?

2011-01-01T21:40:00.001-05:00

So here we are, facing a whole new year. Everyone seems to be pretty split, like 80/20 bad year/good year. I think the Husband and I fall somewhere in the 20%. We had a lot thrown our way, and both of us have agreed, that while some times were emotionally taxing, we dealt with everything with grace and we did well, as we always do. No doubt, hard times have made the two of us become closer, and we're proud of that. So here's what our 2010 looked like:

First, I lost my job. And while it was tough to be one of the statistics, I decided I was going to embrace it and move forward with the plan that I decided a long time ago: to be running my own successful business by the time I was 35.

I joined a gym for the first time ever. I decided that there's no time like the present to get healthy. And it's working!

I became more active in the Daughter's school by helping design the yearbook and volunteering at BEPO (our version of the PTA) events. The husband and I believe that if we show a genuine interest in the things our kids like, they will take them seriously, too. The Daughter is excited that I get to be a part of these things--something I know will change all too soon, when she's ready to forget she has parents. I get overwhelmed with it, but in reality, I do love doing it. There's such a gratifying feeling when it's all done.

We were able to take our first "vacation" by taking a few days and going down to Easton, PA to the Crayola Factory. What a fantastic trip!

I met some new friends by signing the kidlets up for swimming lessons, and those friends have now become some of our closest friends lately.

We visited Lackey Dam Road. Multiple times. My mother-in-law was laid off this past year, too. So over the summer, we were out with the kidlets quite often, and whenever we seemed to get lost, we were on Lackey Dam Road. So it became the joke of the summer, "Hey kids, Lackey Dam Road!" It was the source of many, many, many laughs.

I became a cheerleading coach and the Cheerleading Commissioner for the Daughter's new league. If you know me, you know cheerleading is something I NEVER did. (I know, the irony!) But since the Daughter is a cheerleader, I decided that if I had to spend so much time at the fields, I was going to find a way to help out. And I did. I volunteered to work with an organization where I knew no one, and it has turned out to honestly be one of the best decisions I have made. I've come away with lots of new friends and an amazing group of people. Coaching is an amazing feeling, especially at the age where they really look up to you. I'm so proud of those girls, and even though I am learning just as they are, I hope they know that they all had just as large or larger of an impact on me as I did for them.

Quite possibly one of the hardest things I had to deal with this year was the decision to put my longtime companion, Teddy, down. I still miss him every day. Teddy had severe bone and muscle deterioration, and our vet thinks he likely developed a bone cancer. But he was 12 and medicine wasn't helping. So without making him suffer, I made the decision to send him to heaven with Klinger, Charles, and Bob. I miss him dearly, but I know in my heart that it was right, that he was in pain.

And then that night, I got to ride in an ambulance for the first time ever. One of my girls was in a stunt, and she "toed down" (when you point your toes down instead of keeping your feet flat), and her spots didn't catch her. I swear we heard her nose crack on the floor. Surprisingly, she didn't break it. Poor thing, I really don't know her well, and she had no one else to ride with her. So I held her hand and tried to comfort her, the best way I knew how. Which was still awkward, and even more so when her mother got there, but that's another story for another day. I needed a stiff drink.

We reworked our mortgage and did some work to our house. Our house was brand new when we bought it four years ago (!). But it's also a half-duplex. The other half looks just like ours. They even painted similar colors. So we've always known that we need to upkeep and do more to get more value out of our house. We put in new wood floors (which I love) and a new back door. We've got more plans for 2011 (tearing down our existing deck to deal with a water problem and rebuild it), but we're happy that we still own a great home.

I was able to rebuild my photography portfolio and start from fresh. (BTW, check me out!) I want to get behind the lens more. It still scares me, I'm way more confident in my design work, but there's something exhilarating about being pushed out of my comfort zone. I'd still like to expand my client base for design, but I'd like to have more balance. More time away from the computer.

Most of all, we spent the holidays with friends and family. We didn't get to travel to Virginia Beach this year, as that just wasn't in the budget. But we did spend Turkey Day with our new found friends, a family with whom we've had many game nights and amazing campfire discussions. They've become very close to us, and it's a great feeling.

So looking forward, here's our 2011 plan:

The Husband and I are still committed to being healthier. I know, most people say this. But I've seen my body change over the past year. Now, if I could get rid of all this damn chocolate, we'll be on our way. (But we all know I can't be wasteful) The Husband has decided that he wants to be serious about getting healthier, as we're both not getting any younger. So we'll eat better, I'll continue with the gym 3-4 times a week, and we'll go from there.

I'm focusing more on my work here. I need to still build some client base, and that may mean working outside of the home. But we'll see. I've had some great conversations over the past few weeks, and let's just keep our fingers crossed. Also? A very good friend of mine just asked the love of his life to marry him, so I'll be shooting their wedding. Which will hopefully take place this year, but I haven't asked. I figure they're answering enough of those questions, I'll just let them enjoy being engaged. I'm also hoping to build enough of a schedule to keep busy when the Son goes to school in the fall (*tear*). But I want to still have boatloads of fun with the kidlets and find a way to get more work done.

My ultimate goal/resolution? To feel better about myself. I spent the last 2-3 months of 2010 not comfortable. It was an emotionally taxing period. It felt like we tackled everything but the working for myself thing. Which is hard for me, I'm a very career-minded person, but a lot of my freelance tapered off. So it did awful things to my self-esteem. Pair that with falling off the gym horse and the Daughter saying things like "You need to suck it in, mom..." and you have a recipe for disaster. Now, I know she's only seven, and the jeans were a size too small, but paired with the time and place, I needed a pick me up. Note to self: the answer is NOT four Peppermint Mocha martinis.

Of course, I'm still going to bake more and cook more. 2010 was an awesome year for cooking and baking for me, and I'm convinced 2011 will be even better. I've learned some new skills, and paired with an amazing (cheap) produce shop and a garden, this is going to be one Bitchin' Kitchen.

So here we go. We wave goodbye to 2010, take all the lessons we learned and tuck them away for future use. We say hello to 2011, 'cause we're gonna kick ass this year!

How to know where your parenting skills rate...

2010-11-03T15:37:00.000-04:00

So the Daughter comes home from school today and tells me how a boy in her class was playing with her hair today in school. She's got that sheepish grin on her face, that one where you know you're in trouble? Yeah, let me remind you, she's in first grade.

There's another girl in her class that she doesn't get along with, Miss S. Daughter says she was getting a drink of water and walked by Miss S. Miss S allegedly says to her, "Daughter, why are you always dressed in pink and black and all?" Daughter replies, "Because I'm fantastic."

That's my girl!

(Side Note: She does pick out her clothes, and she'll tell you, it's "all about the fashion." Such a DIVA)

The most annoying hospital on the planet!

2010-09-01T16:12:00.000-04:00

Many of you may already feel this way about Woonsocket's Landmark Medical Center, but let me paint this fine picture for you. First of all, we avoid this hospital at all costs. The Husband finally paid off a bill from four years ago last week with them. And should it be our choice, we'll never owe them another penny. And we must not be alone, because they've been in danger of going bankrupt and have begged the help of a Catholic-owned hospital.

So, last night, the Husband's cousin and his GF had their baby. At LMC. So, early this morning, I called the hospital, because I wasn't sure if they were there. I asked if she was there, and that we wanted to come visit this morning. I was told yes, and what room she was in.

Now, let me preface this by saying at most hospitals that I've had experience with, when you've had a baby (or at anytime), you get to choose when you want visitors or not. Visiting hours are during regular hospital hours, but if you say "I don't want visitors for two hours" they will honor that.

So, the first part of the morning was going to pick out flowers. Which is apparently not easy to do. We have a place here in Blackstone, Flamingo Flowers. It seems like a cute little shop, however, I've never been inside. Because every time I've gone there, they are not open. At random times. 3pm on a Wednesday, 9:30am on a Tuesday, 11am on a Saturday, you name it, I've been by there to see if they are open. No such luck. So I go to Stop & Shop, as they have a floral department. I found a cute little giraffe vase, and they had some cute displays already made up, but I wanted to see if I could swap one out for this vase. Immediately, when I ask the girl at the counter if I could put something in the vase, she goes off on me about how I need to place an order and come back later, that it takes 20 minutes alone to soak [something] for the arrangements. I told her I was sorry that I didn't schedule a friend to have a baby that morning, I'd do better next time. While she was talking, I left the counter and retrieved another arrangement. And took off the fugly bow on the front, put in a balloon and went to pay. I would have left, were they not the only floral department outside of the hospital.

Let me just say, what the hell is wrong with people in the service industry lately? Why is everyone so negative? She didn't even allow me to ask if she could just swap out the vase. Ugh!

We move on to the hospital. I go to the info desk, flowers and baby gift in hand, and ask again to confirm my friend's room assignment. The woman points me in the direction of the elevators. I get up to the Maternity floor and the doors are locked. So I go down another hallway. A nurse points me in the right direction, and I am to call on the phone.

I go back and call the nurse's office as I am instructed to do. And am told that visiting hours START AT 2 PM. Which would have been incredibly helpful, had I been told that when I called that morning. But wait, the best part? My children are NOT allowed in the entire maternity ward. WHAT??? Yes, children are NOT ALLOWED. This choice isn't even up to the mother and father. The father's sister and niece aren't even allowed in. What hospital does this?

Let me add this, LMC is the same hospital that, upon begging the Catholic hospital to come in, has said that they will not perform any kind of abortion, nor will they dispense any birth control. They're all about the children. WTF???

So I leave, after hastily spending $35 on boring flowers that are now likely to die before I find a babysitter so I can go visit a friend in the hospital to meet her newborn baby. Reason #22 why I do my best to stay out of Woonsocket.

Wait, what day is it?

2010-09-01T15:30:00.000-04:00

I don't know how it happened, but it seems that summer has flown by. Here we are, it's September 1st. The Daughter starts her first day of first grade tomorrow. Her Hello Kitty bag is packed, her outfit is set out, and her shoes are tested out and comfortable.

We've been so incredibly busy, but I must say, this past week has been a tough one, and as much as I love my babies, I am certainly ready for school to start, too. I can't tell you how many times in the past week I've been tempted to tell the Daughter to go wait by the mailbox for the bus. (What? I'll pack enough peanut butter sandwiches...).

Seriously, we've been non-stop. Everything from a vacay at the Cape, swim lessons, campfires with new and old friends, barbeques, and so much more drama. (We'll go into that later).

Anywho, we're ready for my favorite season of EVER--New England fall. I swear, there is no fall like a fall in New England. Bring on the pumpkin muffins and pumpkin spice coffee and pumpkin log and Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale! Oh, wait, the Husband bought three cases of it last week (the day it came out) on one of his giftcards. Thank goodness for giftcards, because I'm pretty sure I'd have a fit over the bill. Only, it is my favorite beer, yet I'm going to need to get back into the swing of the gym to support it.

So here's to the end of summer. I'd leave you with photos, which I'm sure that being a photographer and all, you'd imagine I'd have tons, right? Umm...no. I have no excuse. Better luck next time?

A milestone!

2010-07-05T22:25:00.000-04:00

I haven't talked much about it here, but back in February, I decided I was going to get healthy. I wouldn't say I was unhealthy, but I wanted to be more active. I wanted to sleep better at night and have more energy during the day. I wanted to lose a bit of weight. Not much, but some. I joined a gym for the first time and have since gone on an average of three times a week. Some weeks I fall off the wagon, some weeks I'm there every day. I did meet with a trainer, but seriously? $60 a month to see them twice? Whatever. I'm a pretty strong person, but I never know how to gauge my strength. A few years ago, I took some golf lessons with a friend, and the instructor said to me, "you really don't know how much strength you have, do you?" No, but I can tell you where I don't have strength (biceps) and where I have the most (quads, adductors, abductors). I used to be incredibly flexible, but I can't run to save my life. In fact, I hope I never have to.

So for the first six weeks, I did it on my own. I did some cardio and strength training, four times a week. While I felt slightly stronger, I never lost a single pound. I know, everyone says, "don't pay attention to the scale." Right. Let's face it, no matter what we do, most of us could still stand to lose a few. So I started counting calories. That worked, even though I'm a relatively healthy eater. Yes, I love cupcakes and real butter, but I've never been on that crazy train where people are all "what do you mean I can't eat McDonald's four times a week and not be thin?"

I got myself a subscription to Fitness magazine (thanks to MyCokeRewards, it was free) and started to get a bit more serious about my workouts. Last week, finally, I have officially lost ten pounds and 5% body fat. Now that is results! I feel good, my clothes fit better, and I am starting to notice the difference. I've added more pilates and ab work to my routine, as I need to. But now, I've decided I'm going after the one avoidance: Running.

In this issue of Fitness, there are instructions on getting yourself into 5K gear. So I'm going to follow it, and I've found two 5K races for charity that I want to run in the fall. One is the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer 5K in Providence, and the second is the Girly Girl Parts 5K for ovarian cancer in Sandwich, MA. I've given myself plenty of time to prep, and even enough time incase I happen to fall off the wagon again. And women's cancers are issues I fully support, so I'd rather benefit charity than do a YMCA race.

Truth be told, what I'd really love to do is a Sprint Triathalon, as I am a strong swimmer and I think I could handle the biking portion well. But that requires more training than I can handle right now, so maybe next year. Until then, wish me luck!

A first: A FAIL in the kitchen.

2010-07-05T22:07:00.000-04:00

So it's ridiculously hot here, we've only put air conditioning in the upstairs bedroom, so the kitchen is sweltering. Yet, I've felt the urge to bake something unconventional. While I was hovering around the interweb, I found a recipe that I thought would please the fam--fluffernutter cupcakes. I'm not a fan, it's the marshmallow icing. I really don't at all like marshmallows. The kidlets and Husband do, so this can't be that bad, right?

Well, I was first nervous about the recipe. Not knocking someone else's recipe writing skills, but 2 cups of brown sugar and only a teaspoon of baking powder? Oil, no butter? And so much cream of tartar? Now, first of all, it didn't tell me how many this recipe would yield, and I hate flying blind. I did seventeen cupcakes, and a 9 x 13 pan. So I've now used almost everything in my pantry.

As for how the cupcakes came out? They sucked. Forget rising, I think they receded. I know brown sugar can reduce, but this is terrible. It came out something like a lead-peanut butter brownie. And the texture was just awkward. I can't even describe it. Except for that I want to drink milk right out of the container, and I don't really like drinking milk at all.

And the frosting? I'm pretty sure I could do body work to the car with this stuff, it's consistency is something similar to Bondo. My stand mixer was even having a hard time with it. I can't even bring myself to think about how I am going to clean the bowl, I'll just let it soak overnight--like you do with the green bean casserole dish at Thanksgiving.

I'm really upset, because honestly, I don't often fail in the kitchen. Especially when I bake. I can't even think of the last time I did. And I really can't stand when it's a recipe that uses every stock item I have in the pantry (shh, don't tell the kidlets that I stole their peanut butter to make the recipe. What? I wasn't about to use my natural, organic peanut butter, would you?). On the bright side, I can actually see all the remaining items on my baking shelf now that there's significantly less marshmallows in there.

You know what this means, though, right? I'm going to have to come up with a fantastic recipe so I can continue to flex my baking muscles. And it's supposed to be just as hot tomorrow, too. Damn!

Too girly for my own good?

2010-06-29T20:22:00.000-04:00

In a past life--before I was the Mama In Red, I was the college girl in adidas windpants--I used to be a bartender. Which is apparently a job you can never retire from. I highly enjoyed it. It was the perfect job for me at the time. But it made me way more picky about my drinks. I was never a martini gal, and if I was, it was dirty. Please don't bring any frou-frou concoction to me. Don't treat me like a little girl, I can lift a keg forchrisakes.

Fast forward to now. I'm still not a girly drinker. I don't consider Arbor Mist to actually be wine, my red wines aren't chilled, and please don't think I will ever order a cosmopolitan. I'm still set in my ways, I like a Bloody Mary that I can chew, I don't drink anything from the bottom shelf, and I still prefer Jack Daniels to most other liquors. However, I am a margarita girl. That is "my drink." I'm good at making it, and I can suck it down just the same. But then, tonight, I realized I had some PAMA Pomegranite liquor left over. And a bottle of vodka from the Husband's birthday party. So I decided to ~~find from the rubble~~ break out my martini glasses, which until now have only held strained margaritas. And how was it? Delicious. Next up on my list is a chocolate martini. But it may have to wait, I mean I am trying to be healthy and all. Just keep it our secret, kay?

What the HELL is going on around here?

2010-06-09T09:05:00.000-04:00

The past few weeks have been insanely busy. I keep thinking that it'll slow down, but really, that's just a crazy thought. And I'm okay with that. I'd rather be busy than not. I've got a ton of freelance work (yay!), lots of family & friends' get-togethers, and just events in general. It gets us out of the house and wears the kidlets out, so that's good, right?

A few weeks ago is when it started happening. I was using the microwave to melt some butter for something I was cooking. I took the butter out and shut the door. And then the microwave continued to try and work. At first, I heard the clicking, but dismissed it. Then I noticed the light was flickering inside the microwave. I opened, put butter in, turned it on, and when it shut off, it was fine. It started again after I took the butter out and shut the door again. I realized that the plate on the bottom was attempting to spin, too. I decided to pretend I saw nothing and walk away.

Then the tv started. We'll be watching tv, and it will switch off. It will stay off for about five minutes and switch back on. It's random. It won't happen while the tv is on in the background (like if I've got it on a music channel), but the minute you sit down to watch something, it will start. Thank goodness for Tivo! The Husband thinks it can be fixed. I just ignore it.

This past weekend, it was the dryer. At the time, the Husband and I were debating what to do about our washing machine. There's nothing mechanically wrong with it, but it's a front loader, which I thought I would love. Turns out? I hate it. I'm not sure why, but our clothes stink. Bad. At first, we thought it was the detergent I've been making for the past year. So I went out and bought Arm & Hammer and some Bounce. I traded out detergent, stopped using vinegar, took out the dryer balls, and replaced everything with the stuff I used to use. No change. Well, slight perfumey change, but that's to be expected, right? I got some washing machine cleaner. It seemed to help at first. I clean out the door boot. So we were debating on trading it in for a top-loading machine. And the dryer started acting funky. The heat settings would constantly scroll while it's on and then it would shut off. I searched online. I tried using it anyway, but it didn't dry anything. So I ordered the $180 control panel and pulled the plug out of the wall so I didn't have to hear it beep incessantly. We decided to table the decision on the washer. This morning? I go to put some towels in as a test. Works perfectly. ARRRRGGGGGHHH! Luckily, there's a return policy.

Then, yesterday, the Tivo box wouldn't come on. I said "Screw it" and went upstairs and watched Good Morning America in the bedroom. Apparently, while we were out in Boston ALL DAY, the Tivo decided to turn itself on. Most likely, it was right after we left and was on for eight hours.

So I don't know what the hell is going on around here. Now, I know what you're thinking, we've already discussed how appliances and I don't mix. And the Mac we discussed in that posting? Died a slow and painful death. One that apparently my father's electronic genius intervention could help. But this is just not fair. I asked the same question to the Husband, and his answer was something like, "Well, you live in the house, what do you expect?" He's probably right. I must have some sort of a force field around me that causes anything electronic to freak out.

And this is precisely why I have absolutely no interest in an electric car. Can you blame me?

My Oprah List.

2010-05-12T12:38:00.000-04:00

So I was hangin' out over at The Stiletto Mom's place, where she's been reading this Oprah nonsense about how O doesn't walk or do stairs. Which I find ironic, seeing how I just now saw a talk show with Bob (her trainer) the other day was saying he tells his clients to hit the stairs of the hotel for exercise. I wonder how she takes the rest of his advice...

Anywho, everyone's been doing this Oprah list on what they don't do. Because we're all about the Mama here, let's get started on the list of things Mama doesn't "do," shall we?

Mama doesn't do wildlife.
Mama doesn't do peas.
Mama doesn't do crummy food.
Mama doesn't dust.
Mama doesn't do tents. Or hippies in tents.
Mama doesn't do Hyundai. Or Kia. Or Toyota, with their recent tales of FAIL. (even though there was a period when I was in love with the 4Runner and some of their trucks. I firmly believe the 22R engine they made is one of the best, but apparently they chose crappy steel to build the frame. And they rot. Nice?)
Mama doesn't do screaming children. Mine or other people's.
Mama doesn't do mornings. Even though the Husband seems to think that after 31 years, I should somehow switch to mornings. (Sorry dear. Not likely to happen.)
Mama doesn't do sugar-free. I'm somewhat embarrassed by the amount of sugar I require in coffee. And don't drink my sweet tea if you don't expect to break your teeth.
Mama doesn't [like to] do yardwork. But I do the gardens, I even scooped today.
Mama doesn't do pink. Magenta? Love. Bright, bold colors? Can't get enough of them. But pastel pink? Do not like.
Mama doesn't really do icky things. Yes, I have picked up worms, but I don't like to. I was a tomboy growing up, after all. But now that I realize I can make someone else pick that stuff up for me, that's how I roll.

I'm sure there's a ton more, but I'll just go ahead and quit so the Husband can stop rolling his eyes at me.

Have I ever told you that my Mama is famous?

2010-05-10T09:44:00.000-04:00

Growing up, we always rescued animals. My first dog, Klinger was stolen by my mom as a puppy. His owners were not tending to their dog and it's newborn pups, so my mother climbed the fence and took two, one for her and one for the neighbor.

Then there was the dog Sunday who came home with my parents from the race track one day (guess which day of the week?). She was a large German Shepherd that was digging in trash cans. There was another shepherd named Daisy, who was being taken care of for weeks by a pit bull owned by my parents' best friend. They had no idea the pit was doing this until they caught their dog eating the cat food in the middle of the night. She was with us for a long time, too.

While I don't really remember the stories behind all the animals, I do remember when years ago, my mom told my dad she wanted a Basset Hound. And he brought home a life-sized basset hound stuffed animal. A handful of years later, she rescued her first Basset from a bad situation. He was an oversized tri-color named Charles. And so it began.

Mom always did work with Basset Hound rescue. Problem was, many of them would come to our home and never leave. The most she's had is five at once. She doesn't foster, because she can't let them go. But she travels, she transports, she donates, and she creates a stir. One of the rescues she is most active in right now is Michigan Basset Rescue. This weekend, they are to hold their Annual Great American Basset Waddle. And my mother will be performing with The Basset Houndz, a special group with a special message.

But wait, it doesn't stop there. Her Houndz have personalities, like Elder Clara who likes to eat, rules the house, and has two columns on hound-related email blasts. She also has her own cook book and a host of cooking gear to go with it. Go visit, buy a copy, support local rescues. She has Brudder Elwood, Instigator of Evil Deeds. I think he tells his tales on the Daily Drool. He has a book too, I just can't seem to find where it's available. (I have an autographed copy straight from da publisha)

I've always tried to do my part to support my mom in her endeavors, I've transported a few dogs, donated my time or dollars, and I've designed some of the goodness for MBR's Waddle. And you should, too. And now you know what it's like to have a famous Mama.

Is that horns?

2010-05-05T14:57:00.002-04:00

Yes, this is what I thought to myself as I stepped out onto the back porch today. And then heard the Son ask, "Mama, why does The Neighbor have a goat in his yard?" Our yards are separated by a small chain link fence (his) that has some sort of plant growing through it that everyone in New England refers to as "pickies." I look over the fence, and sure as hell, there is a goat staring back at me. He looks just as confused by his new surroundings as I do.

So The Neighbor's friend is sitting in Neighbor's backyard with this goat--I have no idea if it belongs to this guy and is just visiting or if Neighbor has actually taken ownership of said goat. But when Teddy noticed this thing next door, Friend said, "Neighbor, I told you that dog would scare your goat." This goat is now scared and jumping to try and run away, but he is tied to the fence and the trash cans keep getting caught on his rope. I put Theo in the house and the Son is still at the fence, saying "I never seen a goat here before."

The Neighbor comes over with a small cooler of beer and says to the son, "You're scaring him." WHAT? My three-year-old son is scaring YOUR goat? Do you own a mirror to begin with? And this friend that arrived with this goat...did you notice that he's a little freakier than...well, most people? Yeah. I'm pretty sure this goat is freaked out because he's tied to a fence with interference. I'd go take a picture, but the guys are sitting out there with the goat.

I'm sorry, who rides around with a goat in the truck? Who visits with a goat? This thing can't be here to stay. Although, now that I'm inside and can spy without them noticing, there is a goat house there now, too. And a big food container. And his name is Alf. I never thought I'd live next door to someone with a goat. And it's not like we live on land, people. We're in an old mill neighborhood. Houses are close together (which always makes me nervous when I have to whip out my "Mama Wins" voice on the son. But apparently the other neighbors are not so worried for the same reasons).

Wait a minute, why can't I have chickens?

Dinner with the fam: The River Falls Edition.

2010-05-03T17:30:00.001-04:00

Last night, the Husband and I decided to use a gift certificate to River Falls and go out to eat. It was Family Scribble Sunday, so kids eat free. Score! If you're not familiar, it is on the Blackstone River in Woonsocket. Claims to have beautiful river views while dining. It is in a pretty cool building, so we were excited.

We got in and were seated right away. First thing I notice: you cannot enjoy "beautiful river views of the historic Blackstone" while dining. The windows are set way too high for the tables, and across the back of the restaurant, the only windows have the fire escape directly on the other side of the glass. Now, I'm no expert, but they totally redid this building. Could they not have planned this better? Picture glass windows across the back, maybe? Or relocate the fire escape to not spit you out on the river rock?

The Husband chose to go with his old-school favorite, a fried seafood platter. Back when we were first together and lived in Virginia Beach, he used to constantly brag about New England seafood and how a platter up here "is piled high with food for about three meals" and how the shrimp "were so fresh they snapped in your mouth." Now, I'm a seafood girl, so I like to think I'm a pretty good judge of seafood. I chose a baked stuffed shrimp platter for $17.99. The menu boasts "Maryland lump crab stuffed jumbo shrimp broiled with lemon and butter." I chose a carmel glazed sweet potato and veggie of the day, which I forgot to ask what the day would bring. Veggie was butternut squash. Had I known that, I would have ordered something else. They are too similar, I think. Anywho, mouth watering, right?

So after more than 30 minutes, our meal arrives. Which I thought was quite a long time for the meals we ordered. The kidlets got chicken fingers and fries, so I thought it was about 10 minutes too long for an empty restaurant. Now, there was a function going on upstairs, but people had been coming downstairs with to-go boxes, so I'm pretty sure the kitchen wasn't backed up from that.

Imagine my surprise when my meal consisted of four medium/large sized shrimp. Yes. Four. Not the usual six. Shrimp that are sized like they would come in a 31-40 count pound. For $17.99. Still, I figured, hey, this could still be really good, right? I don't know who these New England people think they are, but lump crab means no filler, hence the name "lump." (p.s., crabcakes have filler, unless they are lump crabcakes) This was minced crab among bread stuffing. There was nothing lump about it. And I am not sure that it was Maryland blue crab, because that is much sweeter than this tasted. I didn't eat the other 3 shrimp's stuffing. It was gross. And I cannot explain to you how much I L.O.V.E. crab meat. Not just crab legs, like most people are accustomed to. This girl used to sit at the table with her neighbor as a little girl and shuck fresh blue crabs, eat them on wheat crackers with cream cheese.

The Husband's meal was okay, not overflowing as he used to claim. But edible. The scallops are usually sea scallops (the larger variety), and these were bay scallops, which are much smaller. But the shrimp did not taste very fresh, I must say.

There were a few other small things that I noticed, of our four plates, which were square and pretty cool, two of them were cracked and very chipped on the corners. Why are you serving cracked/chipped plates? Big no-no. Also, the bread was cold. It was fresh crusty italian, but cold. I don't see a reason for cold bread. Every restaurant I've worked in had bread warmers.

So overall, I was not at all pleased with this place. At all. Apparently their nightlife is supposed to be fun, but I was not impressed when we went a few weeks ago. Especially at their drink prices. $6 for a glass of wine (which was about 4 oz) that is the cheap stuff? $9 for a martini? We aren't in New York city, we're in Woonsocket, people. There's no reason for this. I've had friends say their food is decent, but the service is atrocious. But now I'm having a hard time deciding if it's the servers or the actual kitchen--which many people tend to blame slow kitchen service on the actual waiters and waitresses. I still left the waitress 20%, because she actually did fine. But I don't at all recommend this place. Save your $$ and go elsewhere, we would not have gone if we didn't have a gift card.

Spring and Summer loves.

2010-05-01T14:54:00.000-04:00

It's the time of the year when we all start shedding our sweaters, putting the coats away, and looking forward to spring. There's a few things on my list. Being that my status hasn't changed much, I'm keeping my list to a minimum. Here's what I've got my eye on so far:

Reef Ginger flip flops in Purple:

I have always owned Reefs. I love their Ginger. I mostly do black, but two years ago, I broke and got a red pair. Which I am wearing now. I love them. But after two years of heavy use (these are my ONLY flip flops, I don't have eight pairs like most people), I need a new pair. I want these in purple. Bonus: I even have a 20% off coupon at Bob's to buy them. But I haven't yet. I'm afraid if I do, it'll snow like everyone talks about New England springs.

Some new Aquamarine/Blue Topaz earrings:
I am not a frilly jewelry wearer. My mother loves jewelry. She changes it often. I've gone through stages where I try to push myself into wearing different jewelry all the time. Which usually ends up with me changing a necklace. But my earrings are something I keep in all the time, unless we're getting fancy and I remember that I have some fancy earrings. I want a pair of 4-6mm studs to wear in my second hole. But this has dual reasons. Usually, I always wear studs in that hole. And over the past few years, I have lost everything I own. So I'm out of replacements. Here's what I'm thinking:

Now, I am aware that the list price on these is $185. Which will never happen. I'm perfectly happy buying some off ebay, because before too long, I'll lose a back and likely lose one. I'm watching a few on ebay, but I'm waiting for the right time to purchase. They're all under $10. Score!

The Coach Cross-body Op Art bag:

Alright, I am well aware that the husband is in a corner breathing into a bag clutching the checkbook somewhere, and this is something I want but likely won't buy for myself. I LOVE the new C logo—please, I am a graphic designer and Futura is one of my all-time favorite fonts. I like the size and style of this bag, it's a quick, throw-on type of bag. And lately, I am more on-the-go than ever. Sometimes I feel all mixed up with my other Coach bag on my arm, it feels to dressy for who I've become. Plus, the one I have is too big, and I prefer smaller bags. We have a coach outlet near us, so I'll likely check this place out and watch over their stock until a whole new style comes out and I find one marked down to $30. Hey, a girl can dream.

Summer Dresses:
I've decided this summer that I want to wear more day dresses. And as I flip through the Victoria's Secret catalog, there's quite a few day dresses in there that I'd love. Because I plan on taking the kids to the pool, beach, lake, and generally having a good time. And this will allow me to wear fun, knit dresses. And while I've been going to the gym and working on counting calories, I plan on looking good in them, too. =)

A Jill-e Bag for my Camera Equipment:

I love this bag. Like I said in my previous post, I need a roomier, more versatile bag. I do love my Crumpler 4 million, and it's great for when we go random places. But like I said, I want to not have to choose between carrying a flash and carrying a lens. Especially for events and shoots. They're pricey, so I'm trying to earn points toward it. Wanna help? Click here.

That's all I've got for right now. I've tried to be realistic about our current budgets and choose accordingly. So there's a few things I know that I won't get and I'll continue to dream about. Unless anyone is feeling charitable? I'll photograph your family and bake you some cakeballs.

What's on your list?

How can you not drool over these?

2010-04-30T16:35:00.001-04:00

So I've been on the hunt for a camera bag that can hold more than just my camera, with lens attached and either a lens or flash. I have a red Crumpler Four Million Dollar Home, which I L.O.V.E. But often, on shoots and at events, I need something larger. I need to not have to choose between a lens and a flash. I need to carry a back-up flash. I need accessories. I need a place to put my keys and wallet. And also? I hate backpacks, and would like something more stylish. Because I do infact, do events. And often, at charities, you have to keep all your gear on you, there's no place to set it down. Now, I do also love the seven and eight million dollar homes, but I kinda think I want something a little different than what I already have. Something more versatile. Enter the Jill-e bag. Observe:

How fabulous are they? Now, I considered a Kelley Moore bag, which is also beautiful, however, they are a little small for what I want. They are too narrow and tall. I want something shorter with easier access. Don't get me wrong, if a KM bag shows up at my door, I will give it a nice home. But I really want a Jill-e bag. So what do I need from you? Click the link. Browse the site. Buy accessories upon clicking my link. They even have a small purse that has a padded place for a digital point-and-shoot. Which I've considered getting for the Daughter so she can have my Canon PowerShot.

Thanks! Tell your friends! Buy one for Mama for Mother's Day!

Coordination: I [does not] has it.

2010-04-19T21:45:00.000-04:00

So we're thirty-five minutes deep into Zumba tonight, I'm in my usual spot, front row, slightly left with my girls (The real ones, Tay, Mama J, and the other Mama J; not the girls being contained on my chest). It's juicy, the fans aren't on and we've already sweated out breakfast and most of lunch (minus the cheesecake balls I keep hiding from the kidlets). We're doing a cross step move and the instructor is all "Bigger! Yeah, you got it!" to me. Because I'm in front, and you know how the class nerd is, right? Only, we switch to this sliding move and it happens so fast, I don't even see it coming. And I'm pretty sure I did the whole scramble thing on the way down, but it was just too slippery on the very obviously fake wood floor. And it takes me a second to recover. But I jump up and get right back in step. The instructor, who was standing next to me, turns to face me (while moving) and he's all "Are you okay?" Of course, in my head, I'm all "Please, I'm the girl that tripped and fell down the stairs at my junior prom. This ish happens to me all the time." But I just utter a "yeah" and keep moving.

After all, I was the girl who also fell down a flight of stairs while seven months pregnant at my best friend's mom's house the night before her wedding. 'Cause when I do it, I do it big.

Happy 12th Birthday, Teddy!

2010-04-15T16:37:00.006-04:00

Twelve years ago today, you were born (That would be 1998 for those of you that are math-challenged like me). You had one sister, who was named Eleanor. Apparently, your mother died in birth, and you and your sister were left on the doorstep to the Norfolk SPCA in a box, your mother in a bag next to you.

The first person to arrive for work was a woman named Dianne (if my memory serves me correctly). She worked for the SPCA for more than 20 years. Immediately, she fed the two of you. Later that evening, she took you and your sister home to raise you.

Fast forward to the first week in June. I'd been living in my first house with my first roommate just off campus since March. Coming from the house I grew up in, where we rescued animals, I missed having a dog. I'd left five at my parents' house. My boyfriend at the time was on his way to take me to lunch. Instead, we ended up at the Norfolk SPCA.

When I first saw you, you were hiding in the corner. Your sister and you were in one cage, she was all over the place. It was instantly obvious why Dianne named you Teddy, you looked just like a little teddy bear—with oversized legs and feet. I was smitten. Dianne told me the story of how you came to her, you were claimed to be a "Lab/Shepherd mix". You were six weeks old that day, and she'd decided you were ready to find a forever home. I filled out the information and brought you home to meet my roommate and her dog, Jasmine Marie (My roommate didn't have a middle name, so she gave her dog one).

The fun part began when I took you to my parents' veterinarian and he was scared to tell me (but told my mom instead) that you were Great Dane, not Shepherd. Which explained your ginormous feet. And appetite.

You tried my patients, chewing everything you could. You peed all over the carpet. And you had an affinity for expensive underwear, but normally only when we had people over. You loved rawhide bones that were bigger than you, and normally you ate them within 3 days. You loved to ride in the car. And you loved your soccer ball. You didn't care for the tide at the beach, but the first time you saw a pool, you ran and jumped right in.

Then we stayed overnight for our first Christmas at my parents' house, and my father came to get you out of my room to go outside with the gaggle of hounds. Later that morning, he said to me, "You really have a good, well-behaved dog." And then you proceeded to win over my mother by sitting at her side while she cooked, not begging, not being a nuisance. I found out later she had a pocket full of treats and was slipping them to you all day.

Now, twelve years later, you've chewed up one pair of brand new New Balance shoes (ever wonder what the real use of the "tongue" is in your shoes? Try wearing them without one), two couches, the electrical cord to a fan (that was plugged in), and one Cox Cable remote control—where the service rep informed me I "should not let my dog chew on the remote..." I told her it wasn't like I ran out of Snausages. You have caught one bird (who knew you could move so fast), one opossum (thanks for that), and somehow missed a chipmunk being in the same room as you for hours. You detest premium dog food and have always preferred the cheap stuff. You won't drink from a clean water bowl, you prefer snarfle in it. You don't like to be outside on your own, only if I'm out there. Unless you're laying on the deck in the sun. You get anxious in the car, but if someone says "wanna go for a ride?" you will push your way into the first vehicle with an open door. You have a bark that scares the beejebus out of most people but have only bitten one person. And as my mother says, you don't seem to age much, you've been in a state of shock since Avery was born.

Happy 12th birthday, Teddy Bear. Or "Theo" as Grammy refers to you. I've enjoyed you being part of my life. But you're not getting a cake because you took it upon yourself to celebrate this morning by eating a library book. And washed it down with some carpet, because apparently that's how you roll. Or was it the remainder of garlic mashed potatoes I fed you last night?

Town of Blackstone: Major FAIL.

2010-04-07T21:52:00.000-04:00

We have lived in this small town (of 8000) for a little over three years now. We've lived in the same house since we moved up here, a half-duplex. We've had no other names, places, or anything. Just us. Here. At the same address.

For some reason, the Town of Blackstone cannot figure out their billing. Here, we get billed for water every six months--which sucks, by the way. When we first moved in, it took almost a year to get the water bill straightened out. Because we were the first owners of the house, they were billing us for the builder's portions of the water bill. We paid late fees. Many late fees. But I didn't have the time to fight with them. So we paid them.

Last week, we got a demand for payment in the mail for Excise tax on the Husband's truck. Which means there apparently was a bill before that which we did not receive. This bill stated that the tax be paid before March 17 or it would go to the collector. And we got it last week. So unless I own a time machine, we are late.

Now, this isn't the first time we've had an issue with Excise Tax bill. Previously, we've gotten blank bills, where they sent us a sheet of paper with our address on it, and we rarely get a bill on time. We always get the demand bills. So I go to Town hall to pay our late bill and bitch.

For those of you that don't know, here in Taxachusetts, apparently legislation was signed in that states if you do not receive a bill, you are still liable for all taxes, interest, and late fees. No one else shall be held responsible. The public has NO rights. This allows towns to send out bills late and purposely collect late fees without repercussion. So now, even though I believe someone did not send out our mail, I now have to pay $93.93 for a $65 Excise bill. But I actually have a longer period to pay the elevated fee than I did for any other portion of this Godforsaken process. How nice of them.

My problem? These people effing suck. Basically, I was told I am supposed to go looking for my own bill should I not get one. So you mean to tell me that these people who are paid a publicly listed salary--which essentially I am paying for--get more days off than most people and work better hours than bankers are not doing their job. Someone's job there is to send out bills to the households in Blackstone. And they are not sending them out. And please spare me the details of our mail getting lost. The postmaster knows who I am and can recall my address when I walk in the door from three years ago when we had no mailbox and I had to check my mail there every day. Mail doesn't "get lost" in this town. Quit blaming the post office. You people are overpaid to do a lousy job and simply get to collect for it. Hell, I can click print, and I know how to send out bulk mail. I'll gladly work for your salary.

The best part? The Tax Collector told me that apparently I am the only person with a problem with the town's billing. Really? Just me? Should I round up everyone that has had a problem and show up at the Town meeting so we can break up the bitching over the school budget? Because everyone I have spoken to seems to think that the Town of Blackstone can't seem to get their head out of their ass. Think I was irate after that conversation?

See, I knew we should have bought that house in Rhode Island. At least their tax issues have ties to the mafia, not because some nitwits are running this joint.

Dear Fellow Gym Member,

2010-04-05T16:27:00.001-04:00

I don't feel that I should really have to write a post on gym etiquette. It's been done too many times. However, today? You have really pissed me off. First of all, they make lockers that are kept in rooms called locker rooms. Go put your bag there instead of rifling through it every two minutes. And if I trip on the handle again because you insist on leaving it somewhere inappropriate, I am going to hurl it.

Second, stop staring at the women working out. Yes, we lift weights, too. Apparently more than you. But this ogre-like behavior? Will not land you any dates. And I'm pretty sure the girl you've walked past five time to stare at her ass yet again doesn't bat for your team. Leave her alone and wipe the drool off your mouth.

Lastly, just because you intend on using a piece of equipment does not mean you own it. Yes, I like the inverted leg press. Girls can use those machines, too. So when you stack 75lbs of weight discs on each side and then proceed to talk on your cell phone while pacing worse than my Husband, you need to get your show on the road. Just so you know, I used three other pieces of equipment, did my proper 3 sets of 16 reps, you finally sat down to attempt to lift all this weight you have now stacked up. Oh, wait, did you forget the main plate weighs 115 lbs? Yeah. That's what that big sticker says on it. And if you even try to make me think you've lifted anywhere near the 265 lbs you are now struggling to press, you must be out of your tree, because no one works out in "windpants" anymore and you? Just look like an asshat. Which is further proven when after two more phone calls, you left all that weight on your machine and didn't rerack it. You're not that important, so hang up the damn phone. Also? No one wants to sit in your butt sweat, so like the sign says, wipe down the machine when you're done.

I may be a novice to the gym, but just so we're clear, struggling through three "reps" of insane weight which is clearly too heavy for you and circling the gym four times to check out the ladies does not constitute a good workout. How you're sweating like a pig, I'm not sure. And next time you try to comment to me how you're feelin' your workout, try not to spit on me. Because apparently, I can lift more weight than you.*

K? Thanks,
—the mama (who was not in fact in red today, but purple instead)

*Umm, no, I can't do the 275 lbs with the inverted leg press. But I didn't drop the weight discs, either. And I did three full sets. Just so you know. =)

Do you Zumba?

2010-03-30T12:46:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of Zumba? Many of my friends across the blogosphere and facebook have tried it now. It's a cardio workout that infuses Latin hip hop, salsa, cha cha, and meringue with American hip hop, belly dancing, and general shakin' your booty. It's not just for women, there's a few guys that dare take classes. At my gym, which is a new gym, Monday night Zumba class usually sells out. By "sell out" I mean more than 60 people join in. It's crazy. I like the Tuesday morning class, the instructor is fantastic and the class isn't so full. Each instructor has their own style, and that's good. Although, we have one instructor who is TERRIBLE. I felt like I was doing nothing but dancing in circles, clapping my hands, and trying to move among all the size -3 teenagers who giggle every time you shake your butt.

Anywho, if you have the opportunity to take a class or go with a friend, I HIGHLY recommend it. It's loads of fun, and you actually burn about 600-800 calories per class, depending on how impactful your instructor is. And guys? Get in there. Where else will you find tons of ladies shakin' their groove thang in spandex? Just be nice and don't drool.

Screw the Rabbit.

2010-03-25T15:29:00.000-04:00

I've never been crazy for holidays. Now, my old roommate--who was the youngest of three--said she remembered the exact moment that she found out Santa wasn't real, the Easter bunny didn't bring chocolate, and mom plays the tooth fairy, often in a forgotten rush. And she was devastated. I couldn't tell you when I learned or how it affected me. Now that I have kids, I'm on the fence about all these things.

In school, the Daughter is learning about all holidays. Which made it a little hard to explain that no one other than college students and the true Irish celebrate St. Patrick's day. And that Valentine's day around here is simply another day to remind each other how much we love each other, and it doesn't require chocolate or roses or even cards. And don't even get me started on Halloween, I detest that "holiday."

So as far as Santa goes, the Husband and I made a deal. Our kids know that Mommy & Daddy buy their presents. Credit is also given for Grammy & PopPop and Meme, aunts and uncles, and whomever else provides for our family. "Santa" brings one unwrapped present each. Why do we do this? Because we feel like our kids need to know that we work hard for the things we provide, as does everyone else. Presents don't just come from some guy who sleeps all year, works one night, and takes all the credit. (Yet the Husband wonders why I equate him to the mafia...) It instills in our kids that hard work reaps rewards, and we should be grateful for everything we get.They understand the concept, most of the time.

Which brings us to Easter. Now, we aren't all about religion. Briefly, the Husband is Catholic and I am Methodist; yet neither of us practice our religion, by choice. Which means we don't participate in Lent, nor do we really celebrate Easter. Now, I'm not opposed to going to sunrise service. But to be honest, I'd rather not cloak the whole thing in a lie about how some rabbit appears in the night to hide hard boiled eggs and bring cheap chocolate and peeps. (However, should any rabbits or other varmints willing to bring me Godiva or Lindt chocolates, I fully invite them to be left at my doorstep. And no fruit fillings, please.).

I feel like this mainly because the Daughter is at the age where shortly, she will learn that these "stories" are lies. So I'd rather not deal with the whole cover-up. We teach that this is a no-lies household and that you can tell mom and dad anything. And who's to say my children won't be as heartbroken as my old roommate, you know?

Spirit fingers, anyone?

2010-03-15T14:13:00.003-04:00

I was never into cheerleading. I was more the type that played the sports and didn't understand the point of cheerleaders. Of course, my senior year, I was one of the captains of the dance team, and it wasn't until then that I actually understood the athleticism of the sport, but I was never the cheerleading type.

Fast forward to a year and a half ago. The Daughter was ready for sports. We had already tried dance, but she has too much energy for tap or ballet. We tried soccer. I even got her lotto cleats with pink laces. But she didn't like other kids taking the ball away. And then she became friends with the neighbor. Who is a cheerleader. And the Daughter fell in love. She'd go to practices with her (the neighbor is about three years older). She went to games. And she was smitten with cheerleading. So I began the quest to find her a team.

Little did I know that up here, there is no cheerleading for basketball. It's football only. And football season was over. I found a gym, Superior Cheer All Stars. And we went to our first practice. She did good, even if the Son was a huge pain and let everyone in the vicinity know that he did NOT want to be there.

Should it surprise anyone that at the end of her first practice, the coach/gym owner (and ridiculous amount of times-national champion coach) said to me, "She's a natural cheerleader. Your daughter is going to be very good." Of course. Of course, my daughter would be a natural cheerleader. My friends back home with all boys think the irony is hysterical. Me, the epitome of a tomboy, ended up with a girly-girl who is now a cheerleader. And not just a cheerleader, an All-Star cheerleader, meaning cheerleading is the sport itself.

I've now learned, as we are into our second season of competition that there are rules. Every cheerleader must wear a bow. There is an unhealthy amount of hairspray to be inhaled. Glitter gets everywhere. Get used to callouses on your hands, because it is not proper to enter a competition without curls, the tight spiral type. And then, there's the big role: Cheer Mom.

I held out the entire first season. I watched the other moms at competitions whip out their arsenal with no less than three cans of hairspray, personalized curlers, and don stylist's aprons full of combs and barrettes. I did buy the "Proud Parent" shirt, but didn't get a chance to wear it. I've worn it twice this season. However, if you think I'll ever be the flashing-hat-wearing, glitter-stars-on-the-face, mom dancing to the cheer type, you'd be wrong. Should I ever become this mom, who orders her minivan with the cheer edition package with in-seat curling irons, fold-down glitter makeup trays and a personalized megaphone, please take me out back and make me play football in the mud. But I do shake my noise maker, I photograph the team, and I cry when my daughter is on the mat. I participate because teams with the most crowd spirit win more points. And points = trophies. And when you're 6, the big trophy is what it's all about.

First place! Yes, I cried. I may not like cheerleading, but I have a little cheerleader. And how do you not support that? Especially when her team wears dark red and black. At the least, they're stylish.

P.S. I did order the personalized cheerleader sticker. For the Husband's truck. He just doesn't know it yet. =)

Little known facts about the Mama

2010-03-05T12:37:00.001-05:00

The Daughter is a very intuitive person. She's the type that notices EVERYTHING. Move the coffee table 2" to the left? She'll move it back. Buy a new shirt? She'll ask how long you've had it and why she hasn't seen it before. Try going a different way to the grocery store? She'll drive you crazy in the back seat asking why we're going this way, and are we going to a new store. So it's no surprise that there's a few things that I do out of the ordinary that just never occurred to me as "different." Lately, since she's been learning to read and write, it's these things she notices as of late. Here's a few:

When writing on lined paper, I write in the middle of the lines. No matter whether it's college ruled or wide ruled. This started sometime in high school, and I don't know why I do it. And if I notice myself writing on the baseline, I move it to the middle of the lines. Strange for a graphic designer, no? She questioned it. And I had no good answer for her.

I usually write in all uppercase letters. Though, in most of my design, I prefer the all-lowercase route. But I often use all-uppercase (as in my blog titles, I recently changed that.) I used to tell the Husband back when I was pregnant that I would teach the Daughter that her name was spelled in all lowercase letters because it looked better that way. He told me to bottle up the crazy and not piss off her teachers.

I love my handwriting and am constantly working on it. Really, if you've seen my handwriting, this should be no surprise to you. In college, everyone wanted to borrow my notes because they are neat. I can't stand messy notes (or anything else, but one battle at a time). But sometimes I change the way I write my G, E, or S. Currently, I'm trying to learn how to write a 9 like it is here. No, I'm not in second grade.

I only like writing in blue pen. I prefer an extra fine rollerball or gel. My favorite pen is a Uniball Vision. But normally, you have to buy the entire color package to get the blue. I'll use red or black, but only after my blue is used up. And yes, I rarely lose pens. Ever. I run them out. And the Daughter knows she's not supposed to use them. Thankfully, she prefers pencils anyways.

I hate cursive. I know it's crazy for a designer to detest a type of face, but I am not a fan of cursive. I used to love it, but I like my uppercase handwriting better. However, often I do write in a cursive-ish handwriting when doing notes. But I hate it. I'll often rewrite a note if I've caught myself writing in this cursive.

Despite loving my all-uppercase handwriting, I always sign my name in all lowercase. My father noticed this back in high school and questioned it. He felt that my name should be the most important on the page, so it should at least have an uppercase first letter. At the time, it was unique, and you know how teenagers are always looking to be unique. I wrote my notes neatly and signed my name in all lowercase letters.

Clearly, I cannot stand messy handwriting. My old roommate had the messiest handwriting EVER. It drove me crazy. But you can't change other people, and it never bothered her. I don't usually let the Husband sign cards or address Christmas cards because his handwriting isn't up to par. And he knows this and lets me be. It's part of our happy marriage agreement.

So, what does your handwriting say about you?

Dear Annoying Neighbor...

2010-03-02T15:07:00.001-05:00

We live in a quiet neighborhood. Now, I don't expect to be able to hear any pins drop, but this is getting old. You have been incessantly working on your "new" vehicle for three days now. I can STILL hear the rod knock from your engine all the way over here, across the street and through the trees, while I sit in my house at my desk. Judging by the looks of it (and the sound), your brand-spankin' new 1983 Ford Econoline van likely died a miserable death sometime in the mid-to-late 90s. Probably sometime around when the exhaust fell off, but I'm just guessing, because it does look as though someone has bubble-gummed it back together at some point in the past eighteen years.

How about we call a spade a spade, and let's stop "collecting" these hunks of junk only to incessantly work on them and then park them in your front yard for sale; only to tell every prospective buyer that you can't seem to get rid of that "tic." However, should you decide to keep at your hobby, why don't you equip yourself with possibly more than a 2 lb sledge hammer, a 3/8" ratchet, and one jackstand, and perhaps you'll get somewhere? I have larger, more efficient tools than that in my pink toolbox.

And if you continue to do nothing but rev your motor to pretend you're really working on this garbage and it continues to backfire any more soot all the way through the trees on to my Cadillac, I will sneak over there in the middle of the morning and put mothballs in your gas tank so perhaps you can walk around it and scratch your head some more. Got it?

Sincerely,
The Mama

p.s. Would wearing pants that fit you be an option? Cause it's got to be cold out there with your ass hanging out. I'm pretty sure my plumber would blush seeing all that.

(Ever wonder why they say eFfing Owners Really Dumb? Seems clear to me.)

How I know I'm turning into my mother.

2010-02-23T16:25:00.000-05:00

We all get to that point in our life, where you cross over. You know what I mean, you go from "I'll never do/say/be that like my mother did" to "OHMYGOD, did I just do/say that?" It's scary. But fear not, we are all now adults, and we've managed to make it this far based on how our parents raised us.

However, lately, I've been noticing more momisms coming out. Observe:

My pantry and freezer are full, but I have "no food in the house". You remember that one, right? I couldn't tell you what I have in there (10 cans of various tomatoes, 6 boxes of cereal, 9 boxes of pasta, 11 jars/cans of pasta sauce, 4 freezer bags full of homemade chicken stock, 2 whole chickens, 13 pork chops.... this could go on) I have some that make me more cranky than others, I'll explain.
I freak out when I have 2 pounds or less of butter in my freezer. Okay, my mom never did this one–I actually found out this year that you could freeze butter, and all my prayers were answered, angels sang, babies danced, it was an amazing day. Still, I feel like I can't dive into those 2lbs of butter. I'm not sure why I'll need them, I just do. Hey, you never know when you're going to have to whip up some homemade buttercream. (Trust me, do it once, you'll understand.)
I stress over running out of laundry detergent. Now, I've made my own detergent for almost the past year, so running out really doesn't happen. And I don't know why I freak out about it, but I do. Maybe it's because everyone in my family are messy eaters. Crazy? You tell me.
Chocolate. Whenever I'm in the baking aisle, I always fret over whether I have semi-sweet chocolate chips at home. Not that I use them that often, but hey... you never know. As for how this relates to my mother, you can always tell when she has spent too much time in the line waiting for checkout. Her candy stash grows exponentially.
I have less patience for other people's kids. I know, most moms are not able to actually come to terms with saying this. But I don't. And honestly, it's not the kids of people I know. It's the kids that are running wild in WalMart, and their parents aren't even trying to make them stop running. We have friends that have 4 (!) girls, and they take them out in public together from time to time, and they are well-behaved. Yes, sometimes one of them is having a bad day or has a melt-down, but that's just the way it is, and you're allowed melt-down passes. But these kids who are chasing each other and knocking into everyone in an already crowded store? I want to run them over with a shopping cart. No one actually wants to go shopping in WalMart, so add this kind of crap, and I just want to scream.
If I am buying something with a coupon or for a reduced price, I expect that coupon/price. Otherwise, I don't want it. I'm an avid coupon clipper. I don't use expired coupons, and I adhere to coupon rules. I plan my food shopping based on sales. When I've visited your godforsaken horrific store because you have Lunchables for $.89 and chicken at $.89/lb, I expect to pay those prices. It's simple, right? So when I purchase 15 Lunchables, but am still putting my groceries on the belt and don't see until you're onto other items that my item is ringing $.10 more, don't eff with me because I want them at the advertised price. It's not my problem that they aren't ringing in right. Or that it takes you forever to change them because you have to do it manually. Don't argue with me, and don't refuse to bag my groceries because it's not my fault. And your smug manager who looks like he's a day over 17 can shove it, because if he gives me attitude again, I'll find someone higher than him to bitch to. Market Basket, anyone?
Speaking of MB, I cannot stand it when families shop together and bring all 22 children and can't decide on what brand of sliced pre-packaged meat to buy. It's all the same crap from Oscar Meyer anyways, it just looks different. Couldn't one of these 7 adults you've brought with you stay home with all the kidlets? Seriously, is there a need for all of you to pack in your Toyota Camry with covers on the headrests and go grocery shopping? (And would it kill you to take a shower first? Or sometime this week?)
If I pay for a service, I expect that service to be provided. If you offer me a 5-year warranty on a large ticket item, and I require service or replacement, I expect to receive it. I once paid for the extended wear warranty on the first couch set the Husband and I purchased together. It was a custom couch, chair and ottoman with our selected fabrics. Within two years, the legs on the couch broke. The padding on the arm fell through the frame. The fabric was worn well before its time. I can't even tell you how frustrating it was to deal with the warranty company. They sent someone out to "look" at the damage first. And he was like, "Wow. You've had this for two years and you don't have kids?" I've seen couches in nightclubs wear better than that piece of garbage. ONE YEAR later, we replaced the couch, because I couldn't battle with the company any longer. I was offered 50% off another custom couch in the store, but we chose not to go that route, for obvious reasons.
I will not stand for people talking down to me because I'm a woman. My mom was a very independent woman. She was a woman working in a man's field, and she spoke up when she needed to. She gave 110%, and in return, she expected her employees to follow through on their promises. You promised that car to be painted by tonight? Better be done. She was a very fair boss, but she didn't take the bullshit. She raised me the same way. I don't talk to people in a way that I wouldn't want to be talked to. (See #6) But don't think that you can speak above me based on the situation we are in. If we're looking at a car, don't assume I'm only interested in how it looks. Don't try to play the white knight when I'm purchasing brake fluid in your auto parts store. I know what I'm doing. And when I've read my manual and it tells me what specific kinds to use or not use, don't tell me you think I'm wrong before you've even asked what make/model I'm buying for. And don't assume that I don't know how to drive because I'm a girl. I'll drive a manual transmission vehicle in 4-inch heels and whoop your ass in front of your boys while I apply lipstick. (Not that I wear lipstick, but I keep it for occasions like this). Just keep me away from granite curbs. =)
I say the damndest things. Like "did you hear me tell you no?" or "Do you have a hearing problem or a listening problem?" or "Are you out of your mind?" or how about, "what did your father tell you when you asked him?" or the big one, "Boy, don't make me come over there, I'll wash your mouth out!" (well, my mom didn't say "Boy," because, well, she didn't have one.)

What momisms do you say or remember?

How to donate to the food pantry.

2010-02-15T14:16:00.002-05:00

In an economic downturn like the one we're in, it's important to remember that more people than ever are forced to turn to their local food pantry to keep them nourished. Most of these people don't want to be shopping there either, but we are in dire straights right now; don't wait for the mailman to offer to pick up groceries. While I'm saddened by the disaster in Haiti and all the other places we're saving right now, I believe that charity starts at home, so that's where my money goes. I give the pantry whatever I can as often as I can, and not just around holidays. How about right now, when people are paying the highest heating bills? Don't forget summertime, when parents are struggling because kids are out of school and are no longer able to be fed by the reduced lunch program.

Not too long ago, our town had a few food drives sponsored by the Boy Scouts and the Postal Workers. I noticed my neighbors all had some groceries to give—which is good—but to my surprise, they were all loaded with cans of tuna. While I applaud the effort, it's important to remember that some of these people buying at the food pantry are your neighbors, colleagues, church members, and parents of your kids' sports teams. Many of them are spending so much money on saving their houses, that they just don't have the means to supply food, too.

So put yourself in their shoes. You've finally made the decision to suck it up and visit the food pantry. You get there, and there's nothing but cans of tuna fish. These people are struggling, but they want to eat good, too. I'm all for starting in your own pantry, just remember to reach beyond the tuna. How about some rice, or pasta, or instant potatoes? Those items fill you up. Canned tomatoes can be turned into pasta sauce that can feed a family heartily. Peanut butter is full of vitamins and nutrients and can fill the tummy. Think of the items you like to cook, and imagine your next door neighbor is the one in need. Don't forget to look at items like vegetable oil, cake batters and icings, spices, parmesan cheese, things like this that the grocery store will even put on sale for $1.00 each. And who doesn't like to make brownies every now and then? Wouldn't this put a smile on your face?

While most flyers for food drives will ask for non-perishable items, call your food pantry and find out what you can do about perishables. Because let's face it, it's the fresh foods that are the most expensive. Our food pantry is open one night a week for a few hours. Perhaps you can buy a few gallons of milk and bring it right at the opening, this way families can have milk, bread, and even some fresh veggies. And if you happen to work for a grocery store, bagel shop, or some place that may have to throw out food at the end of the day (not eaten, obviously), see what you can do about helping out. Most people that I know don't mind day-old bagels, I'm pretty sure the needy wouldn't mind either. If you've got a garden, call the pantry and find out if you can donate a portion of the 900 zucchini and squash whose plants took over everything else. And if you've got nothing, go grocery shopping and hit up the sales—just keep your receipt for the tax write-off.

Because I must say it, be sure you're not giving canned foods that have expired (it does happen), and generally things you'd want to eat. There's a very slim market of people that enjoy canned beets, and these people have already been through enough. I'd be appalled if I had to visit the food pantry, and all I could come away with were lima beans, tuna, and other people's discards. Wouldn't you?

Lastly, if you're not into people, but want to save the animals, contact your local animal shelter or SPCA and see what they need. I once read a sign that the SPCA needed cat litter (the non-scoopable clay kind), and I went to WalMart and bought 200 lbs of litter. I spent very little money, because that is the cheap kind that's around $7 a bag. The lady at the front desk cried when I told her I needed to know where to back up the truck. Forgo the bird seed, but they always need used towels, newspapers, and food. I knew a lady that worked at the SPCA and I'd bought a 40lb bag of food that my dog wouldn't eat. Because I knew her, she took an open bag, but they don't normally. Always, call and ask. These are mostly volunteers, and they're overcrowded because too many people are struggling to feed their families, they can't also provide for their animals.

Book Review: Eat Pray Love

2010-02-11T14:42:00.000-05:00

So, based on everyone's rave reviews on this book, I've decided to check it out from my local library and give it a shot. Since I have more time, I figure I should read more. Sounds easy, right?

Quickly, this book is a memoir where the author chronicles a year in her life. Following a nasty divorce and the breakup of her rebound, Liz sets off to spend a year overseas. Her first four months is in Italy, then to India and finally to Indonesia. You'll have to read it as for why she chose those places, I think that's necessary.

Thing is, I really didn't care for the book itself. I liked the premise behind it, a woman taking control of her life and embarking on new things to try and ultimately find herself. That part, I agree with. I think that anyone that may have this sort of opportunity would be silly not to take it. Because I think you cannot properly love someone else until you love yourself. I realize that there's times where we don't love ourselves all the time, but you have to accept who you are as a person before you can really expect anyone else to. So the basis of the book, I thought was great. I just found the rest rather boring.

Not many people I know would be able to actually leave their life for a year and take off. It just so happened that her publisher pre-paid her for the rights to the book she'd write about it. Which paid off, I guess. Truth be told, I'm still reading it, as she's in Indonesia right now and I'm just bored to tears. I'll try to get through it and perhaps my view will change. Honestly, had my library actually had a copy of Jen Lancaster's latest book Pretty in Plaid, I would have come home with that. Because I feel like a memoir needs to be funny—like Jen's—or incredibly moving, like Montell Williams'.

The worst part for me? Going to Liz's horrific website and seeing such a terrible cut-out picture of her. Who allowed her designer to create this atrocity? And the use of Comic Sans? Someone shake me, I must be having a nightmare.

At least we weren't in public.

2010-02-11T14:16:00.000-05:00

Son just came out of the bathroom and said,

"Mom, you're going to have to put the candle on because I'm a big boy now."

Sigh.

Necessities in Mama's Kitchen

2010-02-09T14:46:00.001-05:00

While I know there's a few absolute staples in the kitchen, I'll start basic. Knives. I believe that above even an amazing set of pans, you should start with a good set of knives. By "set," I mean that you really only need 2-3 knives, not that block full of knives sold in every place imaginable. Think I'm crazy? Hang on, this will be a good ride.

My main knife is a 6" Calphalon forged Stainless Chef's knife (purchased from the outlet with a 10% off sticker and on sale, I paid $11.99 for it. And I swear I didn't have to rob anyone or whip out my ghat). It's big enough for most anything, yet small enough that I'm not worried it's getting away from me. I also have a 5" Pampered Chef Utility knife, which is like a small version of my main knife. I bought this one first, but when the Husband started hanging out in the kitchen more, we needed a second knife. I must impart the importance of a forged, weighted, stainless steel knife. Those knives that come in the block, even the $150 set are crap. You'll know just how crappy once you use a real knife. And half of those knives are just filler. Sure, it's nice to have a nice just for boning, but most people don't even know the proper way to use it or how to even bone poultry or fish. And seriously, those are so flimsy that I've felt like the bone is going to win every time I used one. I feel much more confident with a real knife.

I also have a forged stainless paring knife, which I pull out to do things like peek kiwi, but it doesn't come out that often. (It's too damn small and I lose it, really). I recently bought a new bread knife, and I'll get into that one later. And I think that's honestly all you really need.

With these knives, you must care for them. I bought a fine sharpener with mine, so I sharpen it about every 3 times I use it. You probably should sharpen it each time, but seriously, I forget to put on socks some days. And despite what some Calphalon "Knife Gurus" may tell you, have it professionally sharpened about once a year. Yes, the guy at the Calphalon store told me I would "spend hundreds of dollars in sharpening, you should just replace them instead." Well, I wasn't sure what it would cost me to have them sharpened, so I embarked.

Now, I am lucky to live up here in Hockey Country, and not too far from me is Mount Saint Charles Academy. They turn out professional hockey players like Virginia Tech turns out criminals. So to my luck, LeMays Sharpening is a Pop-And-Son operation out of Pop's house. Everyone in the area recommends LeMays, so I entered their address into the navigation and set on my way.

I found the house, tucked away on a quiet street a snowball's throw away from Mount and went in the side door. Where Son was working and sharpened my knife as I waited. I thanked him and paid... wait for it... $3! Yes, THREE DOLLARS! I can't imagine going broke on knife sharpening at $3 a pop. And let me just tell you how S.H.A.R.P. this knife now is. Wow. I thought that $12 was the best I ever spent on a knife, but this $3 is a close second (only since I'd need to purchase it before I sharpen it, right?). If you're local and looking, they sharpen ice skates for $5, but they'll sharpen anything that can be sharpened. HIGHLY recommended.

So, run out and get you a real knife for everyday use in the kitchen. Seriously, it'll make a difference in the way you cook. I think I'm taking mine with me next time I travel to my mom's. Hopefully airport security won't oblige.

Here's the thing.

2010-01-29T15:41:00.000-05:00

I talk to myself. I always have. Not in the third person, that would be too weird. I blame it on the fact that I'm an only child, so I talked to myself at a young age to keep me entertained. Only I never grew out of it. Then when I had kids, I used them to "hide" my talking. People didn't raise an eyebrow if I was mumbling to an infant in Target while searching for the right shampoo. But now, the kidlets are getting older, and they don't understand it, so I don't get away with it as much. Though it would be really nice when I make a comment about someone specific when we're shopping at WalMart for my kids not to shout "WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT THAT LADY STANDING OVER THERE, MOMMY?" and then have to explain myself.

Flash forward to being in the car today with the Son. We had some errands to run, and on the way home, I was making a left turn onto Main Street, but two cars were parked right in my line of sight. So I mumbled, "Dangit, I can't see." The Son, who has surprisingly been quiet, without skipping a beat, says to me,

"Well put on your glasses."

Smart kid he is. He makes me laugh every day. (He also makes me curse when he leaves matchbox cars strategically placed around the house so I step on them.)

Life Lessons, this week's edition

2010-01-13T13:36:00.000-05:00

I don't think I've done this one since my old blog. But certainly, I've learned a bit here and there. Here's what I can recall:

1. ALWAYS be nervous when you've put the Son's laundry in the washer, and upon walking away keep hearing this noise that makes you say, "What the hell IS that?" And then you open the door and a train falls out.

2. Pot Roast can be good. Especially when the meat only costs $2.45. (I know, I was scared, too).

3. Working from home and keeping chocolate in the house don't go together. Ever.

4. Other people think that "working from home" means "not doing anything."

5. When the lint screen from the dryer is filled with cashmere-like lint, chances are, there's something in there that shouldn't be.

6. When you dry something with even the slightest amount of cashmere in it, expect it to fit nothing larger than a Barbie.

7. When the Husband is walking toward any appliance and utters the words "Can you show me how to work this thing?" It's not going to turn out well.

(Note: these two events did not happen together. Sadly, I can't blame the cashmere incident on anyone else.)

When one door closes...

2010-01-08T14:56:00.000-05:00

Another one should open.

Here's the thing.

Deep breath.

I am now unemployed.

And honestly? I'm not scared.

Exhale.

In a nutshell, the company that I worked for was effected by the economy. Some of you may or may not know, that started taking place last year, when my hours were cut. I freaked. I wasn't sure how we'd make things work around here, as we seem to constantly get ourselves over one hurdle only to find another one staring us in the face. Likely taller, harder, and more severe. Which is why the Husband and I refer to Livin' On A Prayer (from Bon Jovi, for those of you that have just crawled out from under a rock and gone directly to AT&T to purchase a CrackBerry) as "our song." I had the inkling that things were not getting better. Turns out, I was right. For the first time ever, I had to leave my job involuntarily.

Now, of course, I am upset. Who wouldn't be? But, I understand why. I've been told over and over that it was purely economical. And I get that. I honestly feel as though they were my family. It was a real family, we laughed, we fought, ultimately, we all worked together to make great things happen. My direct boss and I have a very interesting relationship. We can finish each other's sentences, we bicker, we just "get" each other. The owner referred to us as the old married couple. And some days, it did feel like I work with the Husband. (Minus the attraction.) So how ironic was it to find out upon leaving, that our own individual security codes (a 4-digit number that you choose to work the alarm) were the same? Crazy, right?

Anywho, let's get to the meat of this. I'm not scared. First, I will be continuing to work with them. And if/when they get more clients and work, I will be back. But, the Husband and I have been working toward a goal. A goal that will keep me home with the kidlets more. One that does not require making the equivalent of one car payment per week for childcare. One that keeps us all in a good mood, and easily accessible. Back when I was graduating college, my goal was that by the time I turned 35, I wanted to run my own business. Here I am, partway into the second anniversary of my 29th birthday, and I am working for me.

You know, the Husband and I aren't "financially stable." We never have been. We're just like most of America right now, where sometimes we struggle to make ends meet. Raising two kids isn't cheap. Owning a home isn't cheap. Maintaining two vehicles isn't cheap. Healthcare isn't cheap. Heck, eating isn't cheap, either. But we're going to make this work.

I still have freelance through two viable sources. I just need to add more to my arsenal. And undoubtedly, I have learned the skills over the past nine years in the industry that make me an asset. I know what my talents are. I know where I lack (PLEASE, don't require me to even operate a calculator). And for that, I'm not scared. I'm excited to get the daughter off the bus. I'm excited to hang out with the Son while he's in a stage of growth where I absolutely adore him. (The teenage years? I'm not really looking forward to that). And the Husband is happy that I will be home more. That he won't have to cook dinner every night. Even if we're splitting a can of peas. (Blech!)

There's some really strange things about the timing of this. First, I made my new website live the day I was laid off. Seriously. It's not done, so I'm not sharing yet. Check back later. Second, the Husband had a "Year Ahead" type questionnaire to hand in for work on that same day. One of his 5 goals he had to list? "Put our family in a better place, so I can fully support my wife in her own entrepreneurial venture." Third, well, there is no third. Except that now I have the time to help my mother in her own shenanigans with Basset Hound Rescue. And that really excites me, because she's becoming a very successful writer, and I'm happy to get to be a part of it.

Don't take this the wrong way, because I know there's a lot of people out there that are devastated to not be working. Trust me, I'll still be working. And if I had nothing to fall back on, I'd be up a creek. With no paddle. In a canoe. With two kids that aren't great swimmers. Yeah. But honestly, I'm being positive. 2010 is still going to be a great year for me. It has to be.

Because if I were to only look at the negative, that would be too easy. Like how I have purchased a Cadillac a month before I was jobless. And how the morning I was making my first trip to the unemployment office, I got a flat tire. And then got there too late, they were booked for the entire day. And on my second trip, getting there before opening, learning that I would not be helped that day either. And that the phone service was worse. And then having the neighbor's oil company accidentally put 84 gallons of heating oil into my tank and expecting me to pay the bill. And coming home to not having a working internet connection, thus rendering any sort of freelance work impossible.

It's all positive. Because ultimately, the Cadillac is cheaper than the Saab. Between repairs and everything else, we're not spending more money than we were. And the Brother-In-Law was able to fix my tire for free. And the oil company? Will get their reduced amount of money when we feel like paying them. But we won't run out of heat! I took on the internet and won. And have turned in two books to their respective clients since. And then, I went to the grocery store and found a bunch of yesterday's meat on clearance and have a week's worth of meals for $25. Because now I can get to the grocery store early.

This is my Rocktober, happening in January (note: check out the badge credit). We're halfway there. Bring on 2010!

The 2009 Review.

2010-01-02T14:20:00.002-05:00

I found this over at Jenn's Place, and I thought it was quite appropriate.Though, I have omitted the questions that I didn't have an answer for.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

Photograph a fashion show and a big charity event.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't usually make resolutions because I stopped keeping them somewhere around 30 years ago. If I made any, I'm pretty sure it was something like "be less of a pain in the ass." And honestly, I am not sure how I fared on that. This was a really tough emotional year for me, so if I didn't keep my resolution, my apologies to all affected.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, actually. My sister-in-law gave birth shortly after the new year.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, as I posted, our cat, Tucker.

5. What countries did you visit? Umm, I read a blog based in the UK, does that count?

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? Patience. I am really trying to be more patient. But like I said, this has been an emotionally-charged year, and that has affected a lot of things.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Making the move to photography as a side business. Perhaps one day it will grow.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I'm still not ready to discuss this here.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Sort of. It's more that we learned that I have a virus that my body hasn't been able to fight off. We don't know how long I've had it or why, but it has added to the tumultuous year.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
It would be a toss-up between my camera equipment, the Wii and my new car.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Right now, the kitten's? There's been some serious behavior issues in our house lately. I am sure in the scope of other people's kids (namely like those you see on SuperNanny), ours aren't that bad, but nonetheless, it's behavior that the Husband and I don't condone.

14. Where did most of your money go?
The mortgage. And daycare.

15. What did you really, really, really get excited about?
Buying a new car. Photographing some weddings of some friends. Spending time with the fam.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Boom Boom Pow.

17. Compared to this time last year are you:

Happier? Sadly, no.

Thinner? Definitely not.

Richer? Slightly. But I don't balance the check book, and that's the key to our marriage.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Laugh.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worry.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With family and friends. And it was fantastic.

21. How did you spend new years?
Hangin' with the fam, playing MarioKart for Wii.

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Yes. With my oven. All over again.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Aside from the regulars, we started watching the Listener, which we LOVED. And it didn't air for an entire season. Sadface.

26. What was the best book you read?
Eclipse. My favorite of the Twilight Series. I read the entire series roughly 4 times last year.

28. What did you want and get?
More Freelance work

29. What did you want and not get?
A "piggy bank ride" as the Son calls it.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
New Moon, hands down.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old did you turn?
I turned 31, and spent it with the family trekking around Boston. It was a great day, even though it was disgustingly hot and humid. And the cupcakes sucked. But it was a great time.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A Piggy bank ride? That would have been great.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Trying harder. I've been trying to make more of an effort at personal style, and though I know what I like when I see it in a magazine, I have a hard time buying clothes that I truly love past the day I bought them. Not all clothes, but sometimes I wish I could be on "What Not to Wear" so that I could have some initial help. The $5000 would be a nice starter, too.

34. What kept you sane?
The vineyard and liquor store up the street.

37. Who did you miss?
All my friends and family in the VA. I only saw one this year, and I met his new girlfriend. And she is amazing, exactly what he needed. I miss them dearly.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
That you can't flush an entire roll of toilet paper down the toilet and expect it to not flood the bathroom, subsequently leaking into the basement.

The holidays are coming, the holidays are coming!

2009-12-22T22:25:00.001-05:00

So we're T-minus three days until Santa comes. I'm ready to get on with it. I'm ready to spend Christmas eve with much-loved friends, begin our wrapping extravaganza that night, and tear everything open the following morning. The kidlets are going to be excited, they're getting a Wii. The artsy daughter is getting a creative caddy—I've filled a crafting caddy with all sorts of crayons, pencils, markers, glue, glitter, you name it. The Son is getting a remote control truck just like his daddy's. It's going to be a great day. Daddy already got his gift, a new receiver for the tv. What's Mama gettin?

A Cadillac. Yep. Mama's gettin a Cadillac for Christmas.

Wait, before you question how old I really am, know that Cadillac is really revamping their image. They have some really sharp cars out now. I'll be sporting an SRX. It's the crossover/SUV. It's beautiful. Not the one I wanted, as I wanted the CTS sport model with a 6-speed manual (NOT the CTS-V; it's a great car, but would be roughly $500 more a month for me to drive, between fuel consumption, insurance and payment increase), but the Husband wanted me in an SUV again. Truth be told, we need the room with the kidlets and their respective activities. We need something comfortable to ride in. And a quiet vehicle to travel in. Roomy. This thing has a moonroof that feels like a convertible when open. And despite being a "girls' car," she actually has the boy motor, the 4.6 V8. My favorite part? Navigation. Oh, to not be lost and anxious!

My Saab was an amazing car, but it's time to let her go. With the announcement last week from GM to shut down Saab, it's value plummeted. Even though it's got EVERY option available. She has over 106K miles on her, needs new tires, a full set of brakes and rotors, and the entire rear end needs to be dropped to fix her leak in the axle. Oh, and we're leaking oil from somewhere. So, add that all up, and the necessary repairs are now costing more than half of her value. And in reality, if she breaks next week, we're up a creek. She served us well for three years. Now she'll go to auction.

In honor of bringing home a Cadillac, I must share this oldie-but-goodie. But don't worry, I won't disgrace her with gold plating and all that crap.

It's My Cadillac (Sorry, embedding not allowed on this one.)

I do still think my rendition of "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas" being "Mama's gettin a Cadillac for Christmas....only an SRX in black will do...." is way better. The Husband thought it was funny as I sang it to him last night as he was falling asleep.

A Sad Goodbye.

2009-12-10T23:39:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I had a terrible decision to make. A few months back, our cat, Tucker got into a fight with some sort of animal outside. And lost. We took him to the vet, but upon inspecting his vet records, I didn't realize that his rabies shot had expired. I thought he had a three-year booster that expired in January 2010. Big oops. We were sent home under orders to quarantine him and give him medicine. If the incident actually happened in Rhode Island, we would have had to put him down immediately. (They are very strict about preservation in that state.)

Fast forward to last week. I'd noticed some rather unusual behavior from Tucker. He endlessly allowed me to rub his tummy (which he HATES and will usually attack your hand), his eyes were glassy, and he seemed to not understand how to control all his legs. Tucker was 8, but he was very healthy until then. We monitored him for a few days, and the symptoms grew. His personality seemed to have left him, he slept all the time, he wasn't eating or expelling. He just wasn't himself. But we don't have many options. At this point, there's not many vets that will touch him, simply because of his bite. And we were worried, because if he bit someone, namely our own children, well, we could lose them. And have serious legal issues.

Growing up, I can't even tell you how many rescue animals we adopted. Some we saved, some were beyond saveable. Most all of them lived into their late teens. But I never had to make the decision. But now, Tucker is in heaven. The kids took it relatively well. The Son is having a harder time with it, he doesn't get that Tucker won't return from heaven. But he knows he's gone.

I miss that little cat. I don't really like cats too much. Tucker was my first. The Husband grew up with cats, and this was essentially "his cat." We always joked that we stole him. We found him outside a 7-11 one Sunday evening. He was in good health, about 5-7 months old, and jumped right into the Husband's arms. And home with us he went. He was an energetic kitten, as most are. He and the dog have always gotten along really well. They even matched! He was personable, most of our friends who also don't care for cats LOVED Tucker. He seemed to also have an affinity for people that are severely allergic to him. A sixth sense, I guess.

Rest in Peace, Tucker. You will always be remembered and loved. We'll send you a balloon message to heaven when we need to talk. At least you're not suffering anymore.

Sigh.

2009-12-10T21:39:00.000-05:00

So, being all excited about embracing the idea of skinny jeans and tall suede boots, I went to DSW on my lunch break the other day. Because who doesn't like shoe shopping on the fly? Well, the boots I wrote about in my last post were there. And I tried them on. As well as about fifty other pairs of boots. The bad news? Apparently playing sports for all of my life, minus the last eight years, has given me "wide calves." NONE of the boots I liked fit. Not even on bare leg. But I did figure out that Kenneth Cole Reaction Wide Calf styles fit me. Not sure how much skinny jean will fit in there with my calf, but I'll try. And I did find an adorable pair of purple snakeskin-like Steve Madden flats, just like what I've been looking for. (Only better, they're way cute. And a little more $$$ than I would like to spend, but perhaps there will be coupons in my future?)

Shopping for shoes is supposed to be easy. Shoes = happiness, right?

My holiday wish list.

2009-12-07T22:27:00.001-05:00

I've been a relatively good Mama this year. It's been a rough year for all of us. But just in case you're wondering, here's my list:

A new pretty magenta scarf.This one is from Old Navy (linky) and is only $7. It's soft cotton acrylic—I don't like wool scarves—and pretty. I did see one a few months ago at the Calvin Klein outlet in Wrentham, but it was much longer. (And only $30—usually on sale, too). The longer one sorta scares me, since both of my winter coats are knee-length, I'm worried with a long coat and a long scarf that I'll end up looking like a tiny girl dressed in oversized clothing. Especially since one of the coats is a down slim-styled puffer. (I swear, it's slimmer, I promise). I'm just too cold up here in New England to go another winter without one. But I love the brightness of this magenta. I'm not at all a pink girl, but I tried on the teal and the bright purple—both which were nice, too—but this one actually looked best on my skin. I'd really love to find a matching crocheted skull cap too.

The Calphalon Dutch Oven.

I know, I look at this thing every year. And previously, I wanted this exact one, the 8-quart oval, because not only would it make great soups with me, but it could cook corn. But then, we tried corn cooked on the grill. And I don't think I can ever go back to boiled corn. EVER. Seriously, if you haven't tried it, you should. You'll never look back. I do love the versatility of a dutch oven. I've been into making soups lately, and I think it would be a great addition to the kitchen. But I would like one that's at least 5-quarts. I'd like a round one. And honestly, I'd be fine with one from Marshall's, it doesn't have to be Calphalon. I just think I'm ready for a cast iron dutch oven. However, I would like to replace my pots with Calphalon pots, as the Husband pointed out. In due time...

Alright, the next one, I'm giving in. I'm scared, but I'm going to embrace it.

I'm ready to try the trend: Tall suede boots and skinny jeans. I love the ruffle on the side of these, it's feminine but still cool. And these are only $79 at DSW, not bad! I think a flat boot would be better for me, as I'll likely wear it more. And hopefully be less clumsy. However, I think I actually want a gray pair. Like this pair:

These are the Steve Madden ones and are on sale for $49 at Finish Line. I am somewhat worried about them looking a little too Robin Hood, but I think being in gray will help. I used to have a pair like these when I was a little girl, when suede boots made their debut in the 80s. Mine were a bit lower, though. Of course, I'd love the top boots in gray, that would be my ultimate. Anyhow, I think these paired with some Stella Skinny Leg Jeans from Express. I think Express would be my best bet at skinny jeans looking good on me, since I'm not, well, skinny. Of course, I'm not really sure what I'd wear on top, I'll have to ask my fashion guru, The Missus.

This one's more of an upcoming necessity:

The Crumpler 7 Million Dollar Home. I need a larger bag for my camera equipment. I also like the 8 million and the Brazillion, but this one fits my budget a little better. However, I'll likely buy it off ebay anyhow. I love Crumpler bags, I have the 4 million, and it's great for days out with the fam, but I can't carry lenses and a flash. Or anything else. And I need to be able to. I found another bag that I could use with my current one, but I think one bag for everything would work. And if I'm doing events, where you don't really get to set your gear down, a messenger works better, since some of these events are semi-formal and formal. It's easier to access on the fly, too. I also like that these bags don't generally look like camera bags, they're much more stylish.

Alright, that's pretty much it. Unless Santa is going to bring me a new sleigh in place of Katarina, but that's saved for another post. What's on your list?

Reason #732 why I dislike shopping with the kidlets...

2009-12-06T22:17:00.000-05:00

It was time for some new underoos. The Husband has decided instead of waiting, he's taking the Son and they're going to hang out at Best Buy. I've got Daughter duty to shop. Which doesn't sound so bad, right?

We're at the mall in the underoo store, and I'm picking out my dressing room pile. The first fun thing that happens, is she grabs a red "nightgown" off the rack and says, "this is pretty mommy, you could put this on later when we have friends coming over!" She's incredibly proud of herself because she knows I love red, and yes, some friends whom I've taken their wedding photos are coming over later to review them. I tell her that it's not clothing appropriate for other people to see. She's a little confused, but she hangs it back up and moves on.

Later, we're in the main room with more practical underoos. She's all excited because she notices the size letters on the drawers. I show her which one I'm looking for. Now, I'm not a "big" girl, but I'm no size zero. She holds up a pair out of my drawer and says, "wow, mom, those are bigggg!" Great, so I've just been given a complex by my 6-year-old, thin-as-a-rail daughter. And I want to stuff a sock in her mouth. Of course, immediately following, there is the inhale of other women awaiting my reply. I tell her, "that is not nice at all, and you need to stop." She cowers. We move on. I continue, but she's over looking at some underwear that's hanging on the wall. She turns around, across the room, and says, "Mommy, these should fit you, they're big!"

Makes you want to take them everywhere, eh?

I've been upstaged...

2009-12-05T09:13:00.000-05:00

by my daughter. Back a few months ago, the family went to Boston. On that trip, I gave the daughter my small camera. I tried to make sure that she took photos on her own, not just copying me. And she did. And it appears that one of her photos has been selected to appear in the Boston Schmap guide! If you're not familiar with Schmaps, it's a cool application meant for mobile devices. So if you're lost in the city (which, we lost our map, if you'll recall, this would have been so helpful), you can access your schmap app and it will not only have directions, but photos of where you're at and reviews. Cool, eh?

So check out the photo! I did put my name as the credit, since she is a minor. =)

It's all the little things...

2009-12-02T22:45:00.000-05:00

I read in some magazine years ago about relationship advice that in order to maintain a healthy relationship, you need to let go of the three top pet peeves—the little things that drive you crazy. And honestly, it's great advice, albeit easier said than done. My pet peeves seem to not apply to me. I can't stand messiness, but would rather not pick up after myself all the time. I CAN'T operate with a messy desk. CAN'T. And right now, my desk at home is a disaster. Granted, my dead iMac sits on top and I don't sit at it right now, but if I did, I'd have to clean it before I could get anything done. I hate little repetitive noises. I've always had an amazing sense of hearing. Now that my eyesight is not what it used to be, my hearing has strangely gotten more keen. I have a hard time filtering out things. Well, the fact that I'm nosy doesn't help.

There's this loose bolt caught under my driver's seat in the metal base. It comes and goes, but it seems to become active when I'm upset or pissed off. I'll be all upset about something in traffic or whatever, and I hear this little bolt rolling around. My first thought is usually, "that stupid effing bolt!" The Husband won't fish it out because it requires unplugging a bunch of stuff that will have to be reset at the dealership, and I'm fresh out of warranty.

In the two-plus years' relationship I've had with Katarina (my car), I've tried to let go of the peeves. But some days, she makes it really hard. I've put a crapload of miles on her, and she needs an entire new set of brakes, among other work, but all in all, I'm still on the fence as to what to do with her.

But every time I hear that stupid little bolt, I want to scream. And stomp my feet. Even if I'm trying to let go.

Oh Dear, I'm afraid Fall has passed me right by!

2009-11-24T11:48:00.001-05:00

Okay, so life has been at a running pace lately, and I'm just trying to keep up. There's so much goin' on 'round these parts, I don't even know where to begin. So how 'bout some pics?

First, Fall came:

This was the first image I took with my Series E 50mm lens. It's a manual focus lens, I love old school stuff. My old SLR was a fully manual camera, oh how I miss it. I sold it to finance my DSLR, and there's not a day that goes by when I'm out shooting that I don't miss it. DSLRs just have so many options, and I don't know how to change them all. Crazy, I know. But I knew my old machine inside and out. And I shot infrared, which I miss dearly. I can do a conversion, but it's pricey. I may look into it, that was really my niche. Anywho, this photo wicked grainy, but I love it. It may end up being a Christmas present for someone. We'll see.

I had my first ever week-off vacation. Only it wasn't really a vacation. It was an insanely busy week, which should be no surprise. First, Columbus day, the Daughter was in a parade. Here's her with two other girls on her Cheerleading team.

Yes, she has her tongue out. And being the great photographer mother I am, I didn't get any good photos of the actual float, because I was too busy looking for her on it. (Hey, they all look the same in their uniforms!) Anyway, they won "Most Beautiful in Parade" I cried, of course.

That Friday, the Daughter turned 6. I can't believe it either. I made my first cake with fondant icing. In an insanely annoying pink. (Hey, the coloring stickers were WAYYYY lighter, so this was a bit unexpected, but she loved it just the same.)

What, you didn't get your name written in Helvetica on your birthday cakes? Well, I guess that's the upside to your baker being a graphic designer. She was very excited about it. Although, I did flavor the icing with an orange flavor, and I didn't care for that, but homemade fondant is awesome. It's pretty good and so much cheaper.

For the next day, the party, I did a cupcake tower. The kids were so excited! The Daughter didn't see the cupcakes until right when I had them on the tower, she was delighted. The kids couldn't wait to devour them. And those, were GOOD. Had I not caught my nephew eating three of them, I'd probably have one left. But I had none. Seriously.

I fabricated the stand out of a ginormous box my mother sent birthday gifts in. Approximately 14.2 minutes before people started showing up at my house. So I didn't get to cover the risers in foil. Oh well, it looked great and the kids were excited. The Husband had to work that day, so yes, I had something like 18 kids and their entire families in the downstairs of my small half-duplex. I was okay until the neighbor's kids came uninvited and began yelling at my Daughter on the steps. Yes, I kicked her out. Ugh.

Then came Halloween. Let me preface this. I hate Halloween. This holiday could just go away, and I'd be thrilled. First of all, there's no real cheap way to get out of Halloween. My kids aren't really into being "characters," so it's up to me. I waited, hoping it would be terrible weather so we could just have a movie night at home. But that wasn't the case, so the day before, we went to iparty. The Daughter picked out an "Asian Princess" costume. She called herself a Karate Princess. I was better with that, since the Husband thought she was a "Geisha" (read: escort). Whatever. It was cute. The Son wanted to be Superman. And there were no Superman costumes to be found. So I whipped out the Threadbanger.

So I found the Superman logo online and printed it out, cut it out of red and then again in yellow and sewed it all together. Then I made the cape. I also made a mask that he's wearing. And I then printed the logo out on some screen-print iron-on paper. Only, then, he had only one clean blue shirts, so I turned one inside out and ironed on the chest logo. He was so excited.

In the end, it wasn't that bad, they got us some good candy and they wore out around 7:30. Then we had to visit the fam and all that stuff. So it was a tiring Halloween. Though, I'd be super happy for Halloween to be on a Saturday forever.

Moving on to November, I was able to photograph the Joey Fund Film Premiere. My work had a small part in the event, we did all the banners and posters. We also do the tshirts and the bags every year, so it was quite nice to see everything come together at the event. Here's my favorite shot:

I love the Bokeh. We didn't do the table tents, but we did do the logo on them. =)

So, that's been my past few months. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Daughter who has had a 102 fever for two days and I need to get to the grocery store to purchase the Thanksgiving Day shenanigans. And yes, T-Day is two days away. And I've decided to do everything homemade, from the stuffing to the gravy to the green beans with toasted almonds. Even though I reallllllly love Stove top stuffing. Oh well. I'm most excited about the homemade cranberry sauce and the pumpkin cheesecake. So I need to get on with roasting my sugar pumpkins so I can create this divine masterpiece that calls for four (yes, 4!) bricks of cream cheese.

Alright, until next time!

Things I love Thursday

2009-10-08T22:43:00.001-04:00

There's a few items that I've come across that I absolutely love. Care to hear what they are? No? Too bad.

Vinegar. I know, I'm always raving about this stuff. But seriously, what other item can get my laundry clean, make my floors sparkle, and make my soup and pasta dishes "pop"? Exactly.

My kitchenaid mixer. I love this thing, and I know that you know that. I'm not the naming type and find it a bit strange when some people ask me what her name is. She doesn't have one. But she is getting flames painted on her soon! (Thanks to the cousin) Anywho, not only does this mix like a champ, but it makes ice cream, shreds anything except paper, and hopefully soon will roll out pasta. It's the ice cream part that excites me the most, but you knew that, too.

Coco Willy shampoo and conditioner. I haven't found this stuff in about fifteen years. My mom and I used to use it, and then it disappeared for a couple of years. When we came across it in a grocery store, we bought all the bottles on the shelf. (Yes, we asked if they had any in the back, too.) I don't like coconut, but this stuff was awesome. Should you find any, you MUST send it. I'll bake you a pie. But I can't promise what the postal service will do to it.

Palmer's lotions. In a past life, I was a bartender. A bartender that constantly had her hands in dishsoap and sanitizer, because we were perpetually running out of glasses. And it killed my skin, especially in the winter. Then I found Palmer's cocoabutter. And I love it, but recently, I found the olive butter lotion made from olive oil. It's great in the kitchen for a day of baking, but it doesn't leave you oily at all. And none of them smell like most cocoabutter lotions, I promise.

Yankee Candle Clean Linen Scent anything. One of my favorite scents is clean linen. (Yet I hate doing laundry... I don't get it). Matter of fact, I make my own detergent and had to finally scent it because the strange smell of the soap base was making me cringe. I don't like most of the food-smell candles, it just gets to be too much. But I never get tired of the clean linen scent. I've also recently found honeysuckle, and recall loving that scent as a kid. And as a side note, why can you not get the Wedding Day candle at the store? Wouldn't that be the right place for it? Yeesh.

White Sheets. I don't know what it is, but there is nothing like climbing into a bed with white sheets. It's too bad that I only have one complete set of white sheets. Sheets are just one of those things I never buy for myself.

Purple or blue mascara, currently L'oreal HIP blue. It's not overtly Madonna-blue, but it's enough that when I wear it, people notice my eyes. And I have very blue eyes. Not like the daughter's blue eyes, but more of a steel-gray-blue. This stuff has great color, but it tends to wear down during the day and I notice my face wears it after a few hours. I haven't found another blue one that I like, but of course, I'm too cheap to go to Sephora. I do keep getting coupons for Ulta, perhaps I should check them out.

Alright, this is all I can put together right now. I'm sure I will come up with all sorts of additions while I'm on my way to work tomorrow, but then I'll forget them again.

Recovering from September.

2009-10-04T12:01:00.002-04:00

September has been a crazy busy month for us. Everything has come up, from the first day of school ever (well, she went to preschool, but still), cheerleading, swimming lessons, mental preparation for a breakdown at swimming lessons, family birthday parties, and beginning holiday planning, to the weekend where we had two weddings, one Red Sox game, one Fashion Show and two friends visiting from out of town. I still feel like I need recovery, since I've also been stuck in laundry hell for the past two weeks.

Fall is my favorite season, it's like spring with less rain. And I have learned in the three (!) years we've lived in Massachusetts, there is no fall like a New England fall. The colors are beautiful, the apples are, well... available. I'm not a huge apple fan, but suddenly I have more apples than I know what to do with. I've even made my first pass at canning this past month. It was a little messy, and I learned that when the instructions say leave 1" at the top, they mean it. Oh well, what can you do? I guess I'll be safe in that the cans of pie filling that I made will be stuck to the shelf they're on and won't fall off at least. It's something I will definitely be doing in the future, when I find the time.

Summer and fall are also my busiest times with freelance work. The company I do a bulk of my freelance for is a book publisher, and there's always the fiscal year push followed by the end-of-year push. It's nice, but combined with all the other things already on the schedule, I'd really just like to clone myself.

What else has gone on? Well, to start with, right when we fired up the deep freezer for the winter and loaded it, the condenser died. And subsequently leaked two gallons of homemade chicken stock all over the basement floor. For four days. Oh, and there were three whole chickens in there that I got on a really good sale. Figures, right? Then, the receiver for the television died it's slow and painful death. And now the plasma tv is on the fritz and the Husband is about to have a fit. (I swear, I have nothing to do with this. Other than it lives in my house, and you know how we've discussed how electronics run screaming from me.) And now we have a resident skunk living somewhere in the vicinity of our shed, which is located roughly 20 feet from our back door. And is smelly.

Anywho, fall is still a favorite time for me, despite its busy-ness. There's the return to the kitchen, which I really never left since we got gipped on summer. But I'll be trying my hand at homemade pasta—butternut squash ravioli to be exact. We'll have that with a smoked gouda sauce. I can't wait. And I'll be pulling out my famous fall recipes (because I like to pretend I'm up there with Alton Brown and Paula Deen), from stuffed chicken to shepherd's pie to yummy desserts. And probably a meatloaf for the Husband. Because I like to keep him happy since he cooks most nights of the week.

And looking ahead, we have the Daughter's sixth birthday in two weeks, she's decided out of her choices, she wants to go to Michael's Arts & Crafts for a party. Yay! And another family member is getting married, I'll be photographing that wedding, too. And then there's the fundraisers for cheerleading and school, get-togethers with friends, work, and soon upon us will be the holidays. I'm already tired thinking about it. Wonder if I could hire someone to come in and do my laundry and dishes? Anyone work for freshly baked apple pies? Anyone? Bueller?

The Birthday Wardrobe.

2009-08-29T13:50:00.003-04:00

So I decided that for my birthday, I was taking my earnings shopping for some much-needed new clothes. I did buy a lot, but I promise you, I really did not spend a lot. I bought everything on sale and had coupons that made it silly cheap. But I'll stress, I needed some new threads. My closet is really starting to show its age/quality. I did buy some stuff at H&M and Forever 12 over the past year with the intention that the quality really isn't the best, but it's what I can afford for now. Without further ado, I give you, my purchases:

Okay, not exciting, but I seriously needed some simple dress tops. From left, the first is a white and blue striped top, the middle is a white with a blue box stripe, and the right is a white top with a texture to it. Simple enough to go with so much. You'll see what all I bought them to go with. Next:

The left top is one of the short sleeved tops on sale at Express this week for $19. I bought one in black and one in a plum color. I also have a royal blue one. The next is a blue sweater. I bought it specifically to go over the tops above. The right is a blue knit top with flowers on it. I should mention I also bought a blue and a black fabric flower for embellishment. Cute, eh? Now here's the real deals, the tops I bought at NY & Co, the one on the right here and the three above, I purchased as part of the buy-one-get-one 1/2 off sale. And I had City Bucks, so alltogether, I paid $50. Yes, $50. The Express tops, I had coupons with, so I paid $10 per top. It gets better. Just wait.

Then, I did some layering pieces:

The first on the left is actually a bright pink ribbed sweater shell. I wasn't going to wear it solo, as pictured, but over some of my tops, namely the black one above. The next is a double breasted vest. I've been debating buying one of these for over a year, and finally I bought this one. Honestly, I liked the gray one better, but haven't been able to find it in my size. This one is more brown, but I am happy with it. The next is a sweater vest/cardigan. I actually bought this in gray, and it's close to this one, but I couldn't find the one I actually bought. The sweater and the vest on the left were both bought with coupons, the sweater was part of the bogo, and the vest was used with a 20% off coupon. The cardigan was purchased at Forever 12 (as I like to call it), so it was only $13. Although, now that I see it in red, I may have to get it. More:

Alright, I need your imaginations here. The left, obviously a shirt dress. I actually bought a black one with 3/4 sleeves. But I couldn't find it. The right is a high-waisted skirt that I bought in black, not this ridiculous coffee-bean pattern. It's not actually high-waisted, but it does carry that look. I hate high-waisted anything, and despite the fact that this skirt does have pleating, it looks really cute on. The dress was on sale for $35 and I had a 20% off coupon. The skirt was 60% off and was bought with the 20% off coupon. So the dress came to something like $28 and the skirt was... under $9. Who can pass these deals up?

Here's the stuff I couldn't find anything remotely close to photograph. I bought (to go under the gray sweater vest) a yellow ruffled top from Forever 12. Yes, yellow. Before you send the fashion police, know this. It's a light top, with a texture in the fabric. The ruffle lays flat and is actually quite flattering. I'm going to wear it in yellow as long as I retain my summer "color" on my face. Then I'm going to dye it red, because I think red suits my skin tone better than yellow. This way, if it comes out more orangey, it will still be a hue that I can wear. I also bought two knit v-neck tops (my signature top) from Express. One in white, because most people I know are still on the quest for their perfect white tee, and one in plum, because, well, I have a hard time passing up plum. Exp is having a buy-one-get-one free on knit tops, and I had a 15% off coupon, so this ended up being $17 for the two shirts. I adore Express and the way their clothes fit my body, regardless of my body shape, I feel good in the clothes. All my jeans and dress pants are Express as well.I did also buy a black chino pencil skirt from Old Navy. It's a much more casual skirt, but nice with flats for fall.

Now I have to say, Forever 12 is just a daunting store. I hate shopping in there, but honestly, some of their stuff can be cute and is ridiculously cheap. I like that because if I'm not sure how much I'll like something that's cute, but out of my comfort zone, I don't have a problem paying $15 for a top that I only wear a few times. Rest assured, I don't go near their bottoms or dresses, because lord knows I am not shaped like a stick. I think it's all in how you wear something, and I've gotten lots of compliments on some of the items I've bought from there. Of course, rifling through their website and sorting tops that are labeled "dressy," I understand now why so many teenagers look so trampy when they are out with their friends. Someone needs to pare down the designers at that place, they are just out of control.

I am so excited for my new clothes! The husband is quite happy that I really didn't spend as much as he thought I did, but that's smart shopping. I'd feel terrible if I spent that kind of money on only a portion of the clothing, because I would start to wonder whether I should put that money to use elsewhere. But no doubt, I got a great deal on all my stuff. And I know what you're thinking, that's an awful lot of blue hues, but honestly, I know what I look good in. And this way, I can mix and match more of my stuff. And honestly, some of the yellowish/green tones out this fall do not at all complement my skin. But this royal blue color carries through nearly every season and blues are my best colors. I still carry my red purse (the blue Michael Kors one I purchased is on sale at ebay, I just couldn't do such a big, slouchy bag everyday), so that's another splash of color. Also, I've upgraded a lot of my jewelry and accessories, thanks to a friend who works at a company that makes them. (F-R-E-E!!!). I feel much better about my style (the fact that I have a style, not just covet one) and who doesn't like to feel and look good?

In true me fashion, there are still a few things I am watching and hoping go on sale, you ask? This:

it's a wool herringbone coat. And this photo doesn't do it justice. It was lust at first sight. I have a few coupons, so if they have a good outerwear sale, I am on it! Well, we'll see. I do need some photography equipment for an upcoming wedding I'm shooting. But I'm going to watch it and drool.

What are you buying this season?

Who wants to cook?

2009-08-23T20:55:00.001-04:00

I love to cook. Growing up, my mother was always cooking on Sunday. I'm realizing, as I rush to the grocery store this morning to stock up on butter (because it's on sale for $1.66 a pound) that I am turning into her. Except that I still don't like pleated pants and on occasion, I do leave the house on Sunday. Truth be told, looking back, my mother was always more than happy to teach me about cooking, but my attention span was... well, not there. Plus, she was always cooking, so why would I need to know?

Fast forward to when I live on my own. Cooking? Somewhat of a necessity, no? I love it now. I try not to buy what I can make, and one thing I promised myself years ago was that I wouldn't return to Top Ramen unless we are destitute. And now, I'm here to Make you a cook. Check me out!

Our trip to Boston

2009-08-17T15:57:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, in celebration of my birthday, the Husband and I took the kids into Boston. The plan was, ride the train in, ride the swan boats, and stop at a cupcake shop for cupcakes. So upon searching and mapping out our day, we were all set. We ride in on the commuter rail, which the kidlets were overly thrilled about. Where we live we can hear the train when it passes, and so they were ridiculously excited to finally get to ride one. The only down side was that the windows were so dirty on the outside that you couldn't see out of them. And the kids reminded us of this every ten minutes or so. It was a hard day, I'm not going to lie. It was in the 90s and sickeningly muggy. Also, we're not used to that much walking. Boston is a walking city, if you're not familiar. The Husband and I spent two nights in Boston before we actually lived up here, so we had some sort of a grip on things. If you're looking for a good city guide, the Not For Tourists guides are the best way to go. More on this one later. The day starts out, we get off at the wrong rail station (Ruggles) and end up hiking for like six miles to get to the Common. If you don't know me, I get really anxious when I'm lost. Which is also why the Husband and I have decided that our next vehicle will be equipped with Navigation. Anywho, after what seems like forever, we get to the common. Not without stopping at the Pru to visit the skywalk. Well, until we get to the top and discover it's going to be $40 to see a hazy view of the city. I'm sorry, but we're on a budget. We stop at Maggiano's to eat lunch. Not where we really wanted to stop, but at that point, we were STARVING and needed some nosh. Surprisingly, it cost us less than what the skywalk would have cost, and that was some Good Eats. I had half a spinach salad, the Husband ate half an order of linguine with red clam sauce, the Son had mac & cheese, the Daughter had her favorite, naked pasta with butter. It was one of the best meals we've had in a LONG time. We venture over to the Common, and the kids have a good time. I'm amazed at the wildlife and how accustomed the animals are to being close to people. This one little squirrel just stood close to us looking at it like "what? You've never seen a squirrel before?" It was really fun. We rode the swan boats, and as fun as it sounds, it was also disgustingly hot and muggy. I know I've said this before, but I just can't explain to you how gross it was. Strangely, the kids hung really well. Even the daughter had on flip flops (like me) and still did really well walking all over. When we were done, I had decided I wanted to indulge in my cupcakes. We exit the Common and start to regroup, when we learn we have somehow now lost our NFT guide. So imagine our situation, where even with the guide, we've walked for two hours around the city, lost. And now we have no guide, but an address and two cross streets. So we carry on. We've passed like five bookstores, so I figure if we walk up Newbury Street, we'll find another, we can just pop in and buy another guide, right? Yeah. Well, Urban Outfitters and Marc Jacobs don't care to tell you how to get around the city. So we walk the fourteen blocks to Mass Ave, we're hot, sticky, tired of walking, and want to just go home. But we press on to eat cupcakes at Sweet. Not to be confused with Sweet of Worcester. The kids are excited, the cupcakes are adorable, we pick out four regular cupcakes and one mini. And it's $14.75. Holy $hit, batman! That's almost half of what we spent on lunch! Now I've done my research. I love me some cupcakes. I've perfected a few recipes of my own. But I'll gladly buy yours if they're good. Sweet in Boston comes highly recommended. I gotta be honest, I really didn't like the cupcakes at Sweet. They really sucked. I had a mini of the Dark Chocolate with vanilla buttercream. It was... mehh. I had a regular size cappuccino cupcake. It really wasn't great. The cakes seemed very dry, and the frosting wasn't anything great. It was almost like pre-packaged, overly-flavored buttercream. The Husband had a Dark chocolate with chocolate icing, the son had the bubblegum, and the daughter had the pink lemonade. No one could finish their cupcakes. And the Husband and I were quite disgusted at the fact that none of us even wanted to finish them, but we paid almost $15 for them. As soon as we left, the Husband looks at me and says, "Your cupcakes are far better than those." He knew I was upset because I hate spending money on something I don't like. Now, I would have loved to be able to make the trek to KickAss Cupcakes, mostly because they serve fried cupcakes, and I have a hard time thinking of something better than that. If you're in the Worcester area, that Sweet is FANTASTIC. We compared on the way home, as that shop has the giant cupcakes, and I am pretty sure they were even cheaper than what we just had. I highly recommend them. So we got home, dead tired, gave the kids baths and decided to finish painting spots in the house that needed touch up. I'm not really sure why, but that's what we did. And I'll be making my own cupcakes that we'll eat with tomorrow for my real birthday. I feel the need to put cream cheese on top of something. If you'd like to see the photos I took yesterday, visit my photostream on flickr. I'll be uploading the daughter's photos later, as I let her carry my small camera.

Apparently, I'm in love with Jessica Simpson.

2009-08-15T21:31:00.005-04:00

I'm not really sure how it happened, either. Okay, let me explain. It's been a terrible week for me. There have actually been some good parts, but it's the crap that I recall the most. First, my car rolled over 100,000 miles. I know, doesn't sound drastic, but I had a Certified Saab, which is covered for 100,000 miles. So my warranty is up. And my axle is leaking now. Of course. The next day, I broke my favorite wine glass. I have one left, but really, what good is one wine glass? They are crystal, and I bought them as a 21st birthday gift to myself. Strange that they lasted me almost exactly ten years? Oh well, what can you do? Thursday, I drove the Husband's truck to work. Upon jumping out of the driver's seat, I broke the heel to my red shoes. Truth be told, I only liked that they were red. I think they were a little dowdy, but they were the right price at the right time. More than a year ago. So I had to go out on lunch and buy a new pair of shoes. Enter a pair of adorable Jessica Simpson booties. I couldn't find a photo, and I don't feel like dragging out the camera, as my ass has made a perfect indentation in the couch. Now, I don't usually give a second glance, but they were really cute. They're a beautiful black leather, and really, she loves Louboutins, so they can't be that bad, right? They're actually built much like Louboutins, where the platform is hidden inside the shoe, so the heel isn't so ridiculous. Because as much as I love a 4" heel, those who know me know that my gracefulness usually shows through at the perfect time. It's this reason that I have sworn I will no longer buy cuffed dress pants. Anywho, I'm at DSW, and these shoes are on the sale rack. I had to do the math three times to make sure I didn't screw up, these shoes ended up being $21.00. Seriously. Actually, it looks like there's something (paint?) on the inside of one of the heels, but I have some black shoe polish that I am sure will take care of business. If not, I have tons of Sharpies. But let's be honest, I am going to kill these shoes sooner or later, so why not buy them with a flaw? Then I won't be so upset the first time I trip over a curb. You should have seen me, though, I was all "hide them so no one else will take the box while I'm still shopping." I ended up going back on Friday to purchase a pair of Nine West 3" black heels, a staple I've sorely been missing in my wardrobe. I digress. Let's back up to Wednesday. I shuffle the kidlets out of the house and am herding them into the car. My sunglasses are on my head, and I go to buckle the son in. And whack my head on the door frame. And crack my glasses. My Oakley XS Fives (yes, they are kids, stop laughing) that I've had for six years. I've always bought Oakleys since I was in high school. They always had a smaller face frame that fits me well. Because honestly, I have a narrow head and really can wear kids glasses. And I've gotten used to their brown iridium lens. Tear. Actually, it hurt really bad. So today, I stopped at the Outlets to check out the Oakley Vault. And to stop by the Vans Outlet to get the son a new pair of kicks—only to find they were closed. Sigh. I found a pair of Oakleys I liked, but not a pair that I love. I'm picky, I like tortoiseshell glasses, as I think black frames are too severe for my skin tone. And the styles out right now for women don't ususally fit on my face. I look like I'm trying to fit in my mother's oversized glasses playing dress up. Or I look like a fly. We leave and head to the mall. I park at Macy's, and we walk in to accessories and Coach. I peel myself away from drooling on the new Parker bag and peruse the sunglasses, not expecting to find much. And in the end, I fell in lust with these: They are adorable, no? A pair of slightly rounded, narrow-fitting Jessica Simpson sunglasses with brown lenses. It was love at first sight. But I didn't buy them. Yet. They weren't on sale, they were $45. EVERY other pair was, except the JS ones. Of course. So I asked the lady in the Coach section (I was told they were the only saleswomen who could help) if by chance she had a coupon I could use. She turned on the attitude and was all, "Uh, no. We mail those out to our PREFERRED customers." I felt like I was suddenly at a Mercedes dealership asking if they could cut me a deal on an AMG, cause I'm on a budget. WTF??? My mother shops at Macy's quite often. Her favorite thing to do is go home and add up what her purchases should have cost her, since she uses specialty coupons and apparently holds the cashier hostage until she's paid only $23.47 for approximately $679.65 worth of accoutrements. Usually, if they have a coupon out, they will just scan one for you. Normally, I make sure I'm near an old lady while I'm asking because you know they have like six extras and will lend you one. Instead, here I stand, facing Cruella. She simply places them on the counter in front of me like she's teasing, leans against the back of the opposite counter, looks at me and says, "well, you can open a Macy's account, you'll get 15% off, and make payments on these glasses. I resist the urge to choke her. I don't want to make payments, I want 30% off, like every single other pair! I look up and realize that my children have tried on every Sunday's best hat and have left them on the floor, and are running around with berets on their heads. I look straight at her and say, "Daughter, Son, let's go, we're going home!" Because it would be a shame to pinch this woman's head off and risk getting that beautiful white leather bag dirty behind her. Incase you're in shock, I'm not the type that leaves my kids' mess behind. Matter of fact, when we go out to eat, the Husband tries to remind me that I am no longer a waitress and need to stop stacking, scraping, and aligning all the table items for easy pick-up. But this woman is lucky I didn't strangle her with a removable shoulder strap.

The Photographic Mama, better explained...

2009-08-11T21:55:00.004-04:00

Some of you may or may not know, this past Christmas, the Husband gave me a Nikon D60, my first Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera. The rest of the story is that I sold my traditional (read: 35 mm film) SLR on ebay to further finance a DSLR. One of my goals when we moved up here was to get back into photography and shoot more often. After all, I minored in photography in college. Now, I'm trying to remind myself to take my camera with me everywhere. That's always been my biggest problem. Life happens, and I don't have my camera to chronicle it. Now, I was hopping around the blogosphere and found MCP Actions, specifically the post of which I ~~swiped~~ borrowed this: And this is exactly how I feel every time someone makes this comment. Like MCP and many of the bloggers that commented, a camera is solely a tool. Yes, there are people out there that can simply snap great images. But it takes talent to consistently create amazing images using composition. Is it easier to achieve Bokeh? Yes. Can a better sensor pick up more detail? Yes. Does that make everyone with a DSLR a photographer? No. Anyone can shoot in Auto mode. To quote one commenter, "Did people admire Julia Child for her oven?" No. Hey, I own a ton of pencils and paint, but that doesn't make me a fine artist. Matter of fact, Daddy would be so proud if he knew that the caliper he gave me makes me an Engineer. Are you with me? When I used to shoot with film, I worked with infrared film. I preferred Black and White infrared because I could develop and handle it, as working with color infrared meant I would have to send it out for other people to do my finish work. And that is precisely why I no longer shoot BW infrared—the lack of access to a darkroom requires I send out my film. That, and the fact that infrared film is $$$. Anywho, the camera I used was a Nikon FM10. The most basic, fully-manual SLR. To answer why, I once shot a wedding, and the uncle with his "Mac Daddy" Canon came over and asked me what I use. He made snide comments about my camera, to which I told him, "My camera can do anything that yours can. The difference is that mine doesn't have an auto setting." I still don't think he understood. Part of being a professional at anything is fully understanding what you are doing and how to use all your tools. I own plenty of wrenches, and while I have more understanding of vehicles than most women, there's a reason you don't find me fixing them. (Hint: read my last post). So to sum this all up, it's not the camera that takes great images. And yes, I want to wring a neck every time I hear how my camera takes great photos. I have, after all, won awards for photography.

The truth about me and electronics.

2009-08-09T20:08:00.003-04:00

I've come to a point in my adulthood when I need to finally declare that electronics and I just don't mix. Even with a father that is an Electrical Engineer, I cannot be salvaged, I am afraid. Terrible, right? Can you feel his pain? Here's the thing. Growing up, we could rarely afford to replace things. Especially since my father had the know-how to fix everything. I'll save the tales of his frugalness leading all the way to reusing nails for another posting. But he raised me to always take care of the things you have, as my parents worked very hard for everything. And I believe I do. Apparently, all my appliances disagree, somehow. I tear through vacuums. I moved out of my parents' house twelve years ago. I'm on my fourth vacuum. Yes, I have two kids, a husband, two cats, and a dog. But really, I don't buy stick-vacs, so aren't most normal vacuums made for this? I don't suck up stuff that I shouldn't. I just want all the hair and dirt gone. But I guess that's asking too much. My current vacuum--if I had the money to spend on a new one, it would be at the curb. My old roommate, who is quite possibly the messiest person I know (Danielle, if you are by chance reading this, you know I love you, but I speak the truth). She has had one vacuum since we first lived together. We picked it out ten years ago. After I killed her mother's Kirby. She still has that same vacuum. It's just not fair. However, if anyone from Dyson would like to send a sample my way, I'll promptly use it, break it, and send it back to you so that you can tear it apart and see what has gone wrong. Anyone? Anyone? Shall I beg? I'm also on my fourth set of washers and dryers. In 11 years. (The first year, I made nice at the laundromat. They probably rejoiced the day I left.) In all truthfulness, the third set we sold with our last house as a ploy because I wanted new front-loaders. But don't worry, we made up for that—I'm on my second motor for my current dryer. No, I don't overload. I don't shove an entire sheep in there. I swear. Think it's still a fluke? I've killed two refrigerators. And my mother's brand new french-door refrigerator broke one weekend after my wedding, where she hosted the rehearsal party. I don't even know why, but electronics simply run screaming from me. Even though I still take care of everything I own, as I work my ass off for it. The latest casualty? My iMac. I know, I'm trying not to cry directly over the keyboard to my MacBook. We bought it back in 2004, when I finally convinced the Husband to go Mac and never look back. I ridiculed him when he bought a Toshiba laptop in 2006 and it needed to have its operating system reloaded after nine months. And twice since then. I've always babied my iMac, and it has been a true workhorse to me. I gave it more RAM when we moved, as I knew I would be doing more freelance and needed the power. My boss upgraded it to Leopard 10.5 last year so I could sync it with my MacBook and use my new Creative Suite. And now, I'm afraid it needs a new midboard, as there's no video card for an iMac. I really want to fix it, not replace it. I'm going to perform a few more diagnostic tests before I take it off to the Genius Bar, but it is considered a legacy Mac. (= more $$$). Until then, I will try not to break anything. Although, I will say, something in the house usually breaks right after we get the "project starter" coupon in the mail from Lowe's. It hasn't shown up yet, so let's hope everything holds together.

What to wear to a wedding.

2009-08-01T09:36:00.006-04:00

The Husband and I have to attend a wedding today. After looking high and low, I have found the perfect dress, from New York & Company. When I tried it on, the salesgirl kept telling me it looked fantastic. Instantly, I did love it, the shape is perfect. I'll show a photo, but I couldn't find the exact dress, this is similar and is in the same color. I wanted a print, but settled for a solid, as the only print was black and white, and I really didn't want to buy another black and white dress. It's an odd color, but when I told the girl the short story, she agreed I should wear it and not be nervous of drawing attention. The truth: we really don't want to go to the wedding. The Bride and Groom have broken (yes, broken. Way past burnt) many bridges along the way. I won't discuss the Groom's antics. The Husband has been friends with the groom for many years. Not close friends, as the groom can never be counted on. Ever. So when we moved up here, mutual friends of ours knew them, too. They've had a tumultuous relationship, been unfaithful, but have been together for something like 12 years. No one's really sure why they are getting hitched now, but whatever. Months ago, the bride came to me to design her invitations. Since this is what I love to do, I agreed. I made a custom invite for her, and it was a nice set. Honestly, she didn't pick the concept I would have, but to each their own. She agreed to everything, and told me to go ahead and buy the paper to print them. So I did. I spent $145 on paper and got to printing. After about 25 invites, I ran out of ink and had to stop. The Husband and I weren't in a great financial place, so it had to wait a few days. I let her know the total cost of materials, I wasn't charging for my time. Three days later, I get an email that she has now decided to make them herself. She thought going with me would be the cheapest option. Enter my rage. I didn't even answer her. I'll spare you the details of her greedily-planned shower that you had to purchase tickets to attend. (!) I was able to take most of the paper back, save for about $30 worth. So imagine my surprise when we got an invite. The Husband says, "We're not going, right?" I answered, "The Hell we aren't! Honey, they're serving Prime Rib. The least they can do is buy us dinner." He agreed. So we'll go to the wedding. And I'll be the one in a blood orange dress: Yay!

Edit: When we arrived, ALL the women were in black. Everyone. We went to the lounge, had a beverage, and I had two women tell me how beautiful my dress was. I had one girl that was all "Seriously, can we switch in the bathroom?" The Husband and I ended up seated next to them, which was fun. During the wedding, four other women told me how nce/sexy my dress was. Oh, and the Husband loved it, too. Score!

This is the one...

2009-07-16T12:29:00.003-04:00

...where I tell you about my funny surgery story. I had an outpatient procedure yesterday, and it all went well, thank you. I still feel hungover from it, but I do feel a nap in my future. But let's get to the funny. So I'm in the surgery center, and while I'm not in the first round (read: 6am), I'm in the second round of surgeries. So patients are leaving, patients are coming, doctors and nurses are mulling about. Before they bring the Husband in, I'm noticing a few young doctors in the area. We're at a teaching hospital, so I'm pretty sure they are interns or residents. I notice one in particular. A tall, tanned, toned, young male doctor. Perhaps even younger than me. (gasp!) The Husband comes back, where we sit for an hour. And another hour. And wait. The nature of my visit requires a specific table, and the first surgery was running late. In the mean time the anesthesiologist, with his sidekick my hot doctor come to discuss knocking me out. The Husband is giggling as he walks away, knowing I was blushing. My surgery happens, I recover, and the Husband returns to retrieve me. We're waiting on discharge, and the young doc comes over to visit. He asks how I'm doing, I say I'm as fine as I can be in recovery. He asks if anyone told me about my rash? Umm, no... He says, "you got a rash across your stomach during the surgery, likely from the anesthesia, but it went away. If it comes back or anything, just call your doctor. Feel better!" and he's off. The Husband's first words to me? "HA! He saw you naked!" Sometimes, he's just so rotten.

Why I am in charge of the "stuff" around here...

2009-07-06T22:22:00.005-04:00

For the past two weeks, the Husband has been working on a trailer. We got it free, but it needed some work. Specifically new lights and wiring. But with our crappy weather, he's only been able to work on it in spurts. Saturday, it was a nice day out, so he decided it was time to wrap it up. He gathers all his tools from the nether regions of the house, takes them outside and spreads them out. Now, he's looking for his two containers of connectors, wiring parts, and such. Can't find them. He stomps all over the house. I am working at the computer (I swear, it really was work), and he stops to ask me a handful of times whether I have seen these containers and if I have touched them. Each time, I say no. I ask if he's looked in a few specific places—you know, where they SHOULD be. Of course, answer is no. He's convinced it has been stolen, either from our driveway or from the back deck (lest I remind him, these containers belong in neither of these places). Stranger things have happened, but I can't help but recall Bill Cosby's stand-up routine where he's convinced someone "Came in my house and done stole my remote!" The Husband huffs and puffs and has now declared that he must make another trip to Lowe's because not only is he now out of electrical tape, but one of the side-marker lights was in there. Off he goes. An hour later, I am called to the driveway to help test lights. Yay, they work! Fast forward to this evening. Husband is getting home from work, gathering all his uniforms, as new ones are being issued tomorrow. If you haven't guessed yet, the Husband is the messy one around here. He sheds clothing and tends to leave it. This makes me want to burn his clothing and yell and scream and stomp my feet. But if I did that, the Daughter's behavior would be blamed on me, and I can't be having any of that. Anywho, he is collecting shirts out of his truck. And finds the containers INSIDE his truck. Under a pile of clothing. His words to me? "Well, if you drove my truck more often, it wouldn't be so messy. I wouldn't have lost them." I can't stand driving his truck because it looks like he's homeless. Which is also precisely why I hate him driving my car—he always leaves remnants of his day behind. This is why I remain "Keeper of all things."

I won!

2009-07-04T00:27:00.006-04:00

It was like Christmas at my mailbox today! Well, actually, I didn't check the mail, it was on the table. But whatever. A week or so ago, I entered a contest over on SimplySweeter and I won this fabulous cupcake cookbook! Yay! I can't wait to try some out. A quick six-degrees-of-separation: I found Anne's blog through a search for Ovations for the Cure, a non-profit you should be supporting. I thought the cakes she does are great, and her writing is hysterical, so I stuck around. Come to find out, the company I work for designed the website for David Paul Salons, where she works outside of the kitchen. How funny, right? Here's where I divulge strange information. I actually don't own that many cookbooks. Crazy, right? I am a book designer, but I just don't buy cookbooks. Truth be told, over the past year, I have been given five cookbooks—and I don't know that I would have ever bought them on my own. Why? Well, let me tell you. And have your wine ready, my stories aren't like Cliff Notes. I have one cookbook that I refer to. It's the Joy of Cooking. I'm on my second copy, as my first copy was chewed on by my dog when he was a puppy and then the spine fell apart over the years. It was my first cookbook, I bought it when I first moved out of my parents' house. I love it, because it tells you the basics. How to buy potatoes and then bake them. How to filet a fish. How to purchase produce. How to make a Hollandaise sauce. How to assemble a dinner party table. Everything. Now, I don't usually follow recipes, but it's a great guide, and helped me back when I had no idea where to start and what to do. I bought it for a few friends who were struggling with the "I just moved out, now what do I eat?" delimma. And I bought one for a friend who has lived on his own for more than 18 years and couldn't cook much more than rice. (I wasn't being mean, he met a girl and wanted to know where to start to be able to cook for her.) A friend actually said hers is riddled with notes about the recipes, and I gasped because I didn't think I could bring myself to write in a book. I replaced my copy two years ago and made myself write my notes in there. It's hard for me to do it, but just the other week, I made my first note in pen (it was on the pancake recipe, which I think is too thin and boring). However, I realize I am like my mother—I live with my recipe box. My mother never had a cookbook. And she cooks All. The. Time. My mother will clip recipes and put them in her box. She still has the Nestle Toll House wrapper from the semi-sweet morsels in her box from the first time she made them. And she pulls it out every time she makes a batch. Her box isn't organized, but these clips being on all sorts of papers is how she knows what to look for. I got her a new box a few years back, but I think she still has her red plastic one somewhere. So, back to my story. I use one cookbook. I actually have the Gourmet Magazine's cookbook, but I hate it. It's not written for the everyday cook. But I keep it because I think it's designed beautifully. And, it stands opposite Joy to hold up all my copies of Everyday Food, where most of my other recipes come from. This year, I was given I'm Just Here for the Food by Alton Brown, whom I love; and Cookwise, an informative cookbook that I don't use, namely because I like Joy better. But they are books and I can't give them away. Perhaps when I have more than two readers I will do a giveaway. Because I am not even sure those two readers will read anytime soon. Wait, I lied. I do use another cookbook. The Donvier Ice Cream Cookbook. Most of the time, I wing it. But, the company I freelance for is the publisher. So a few years ago, when I was in the office, we did a reprint, and the manager ordered enough books for everyone in the office to have one. But again, I don't think I would buy it. I'd rather wing it. How do you cook? What books do you use?

The Wonder Drug...

2009-07-04T00:03:00.005-04:00

Okay, not exactly a drug, but it could be. In our house, I use a lot of distilled vinegar. By a lot, I mean I go through a gallon roughly every two months. But there's a million uses for it. I have been using it in my laundry for over a year, and it does well with dingies, but also acts as a fabric softener/static repellent. But, I do this religiously since I also make my own detergent. I also use vinegar to clean my tile floors. At one time, I did wonder as to whether it actually gets them clean, but then I tried it. It does. I've used it to clean windows for years, actually with a coffee filter (no streaks, no shredding). I clean my coffee pot with it as well. But, while I was avoiding doing some work, I was over on the Pioneer Woman's blog. And I totally forgot about her use--washing her hair! She, like many small-town people—us included—has hard water. And she washed her hair and it worked wonders. So I tried it tonight. I can't believe how my hair feels! It's like I deep conditioned it, but I only used the vinegar. Okay, well it had been over 36 hours since I showered (don't judge), so I did wash my hair first. But I didn't condition. I can't wait to see my hair when it dries, I hope it's back to shiny! I can't use the hairdryer, because the whole house is sleeping. The Husband was laughing at me because I keep playing with my hair. Scared yet? Just you wait, I am full of useless knowledge. Like how vegetable oil can get sliver splinters out. And.. never mind. So go, take your shower with vinegar!

Just... Can't... Stop...

2009-06-24T21:13:00.003-04:00

Every year around this time, I start debating whether it's time to hang up the apron for the summer. It's normally hot (which it's not right now), and incredibly muggy (which it is), and usually I can't bear to be in the kitchen for that long. But then I was somewhere in the interweb and found these: They are ginormous icing tips from BakeItPretty. These babies are the size of my palm. Now I'm going to have to go ahead and buy the large cupcake pan that I've been debating on. And they are packaged so nicely and I got free gift tags, too. I'll definitely be shopping there again. I may just have to purchase a kit for a baker-friend. I also ordered some pretty polka-dot liners and a megaphone cookie cutter to make some cheerleading cookies for her team. I can't wait to whip something up. Oh, wait, it's morbidly humid in my house. The best part, it's going to be in the high 80s and morbidly humid this weekend. And I have a TON of work to do. I can hardly wait.

Why GM won't die.

2009-06-02T14:20:00.004-04:00

Those of you (my four loyal readers) who know me, know that I have been a lifelong GM fan. I was raised that way. Well, truth be told, my father loved his Mopars, but their transmissions suck, so we went all GM all the time. With the exception of 10 or so Nissan 300zxs. But, that happens when your mother works for a Nissan dealership. And while I've owned a Nissan and two Hondas, the rest have all been GM vehicles. And I am proud of that. I am sad that GM had to file bankruptcy, but I know it is for good reasons. They need to restructure. The UAW needs a lesson. No one is getting a raise in America right now, yet the UAW tends to think they are entitled to one. I think unions were a great idea in their day, but that day has changed. So what this means is that GM will restructure. They will emerge stronger than before. And sadly, that may mean they will have a future without Saab. I understand the logistics, but am sad that should I purchase another one, it likely won't be a GM Saab. Lesson for today: Buy American. And if you must go for imports, go for European. Because not too long ago, Europe went through this whole economy thing, and we all have a better appreciation for the things we make and love. I don't think the other big exporters are there yet.

There's a lot goin on around these parts...

2009-05-30T14:21:00.003-04:00

Namely, baking. I know, it's almost summer and I've yet to shut down the oven. But I can't. I got a fabulous chocolate buttercream recipe that I could seriously make a batch just to eat it. And, next week, I start my Wilton Method classes at my local Michael's. I am well aware of how the Wilton Method is all about using Duncan Hines and such for consistency. I'm looking for techniques to make my own. Plus, course 3 is the fondant and gum paste course, those are what I am really looking forward to. While jumping around the blogosphere, I came across a divine creation—cake balls. And so I made some into cake pops. And let me tell you how divine they are indeed. I brought them to a cookout last weekend, and they were gone in minutes. Of course, if you top anything in chocolate ganache, it will likely be snarfed in record time. I had some left over and decided to use that instead. Why all the baking? A good friend and I may be starting a new venture of getting into a side business together. Doing cakes, cupcakes, chocolates and such. I am not quite sure when I'll actually have the time for this stuff, since it's the busy season for my freelance design work and I have more than I know what to do with. But I look at the cake business as something I can do for a lifetime. So right now, I'm supposed to be doing some freelance, but instead I made a batch of mini-cupcakes with dark chocolate icing. And I have a head cold that is kicking some serious arse, so I'd really like to just go back to bed. But I am reminded that I actually do have to save for school clothes and supplies this year, so I need to work instead. I guess it never really ends.

Product Review: Help, I have oily skin!

2009-05-14T20:41:00.004-04:00

I have ridiculously oily skin. Normally, I don't even wear makeup because it just slides down my face by 11:00 am. But it's also sensitive, so my options are slim and expensive. However, I read about Boots No 7 Mattifying Makeup Base on a blog that I can't seem to find again. A few months ago, I decided to grow up and buy some adult face wash, and I have since been using Boots' face wash and toner, so I was so excited to read about this stuff. The just of it: it's a base that will soak up the oil in your skin, leaving your makeup on your face and not clogging pores. So I venture out to my local Mecca to pick some up. Imagine my surprise when it's on clearance for $4.98! Oh, how to make a Mama cry! I also purchased some Boots Botanics Eye Gel, Botanics Toner and No. 7 pressed powder, all on clearance! Yay! How does it work? I love it. You put on your moisturizer and then this stuff. You're not supposed to touch your face for a while, as it's a bit flaky until it starts soaking up the oil. But I shot a fashion show in Boston a few weeks ago, I put this stuff on at 6:30 am, the show was at 2:30, and I met friends out after the show for drinks. Around 1:30, I dabbed a paper towel on my skin (I lost my oil absorbing sheets), but my makeup looked fine at 7:00pm, as I was on my way to catch the T. I highly recommend this stuff! I can't say much for the Botanics line, I don't think the eye gel is helping much, but I'll know more when I run out of my No. 7 toner and start using the Botanics toner. So go get your Boots!

It was a great Mama Day...

2009-05-11T20:52:00.004-04:00

Mother's Day was a nice one for us, the Husband let me sleep in (by sleep in, I mean long enough for him to corral the kids into signing their card and down some pop-tarts), I got an adorable singing Hoops and YoYo card—whom I love—and the shredder/slicer attachment to my Kitchenaid stand mixer. Now, some of the Mamas out there feel that appliances and their parts are a no-no for gift giving. Personally, I am all about praciticality. That said, a treadmill should never show up on my doorstep as a "gift." But the Husband knew I was eyeing this attachment, as I already have the ice cream maker attachment (also known as the best $60 I have spent on an appliance E.V.E.R.) So what did I use it for first? To make my own laundry detergent. Yes, you read that correctly. I made my own laundry detergent. I used my shredder to shred a bar of soap. And this excites me to no end. My cost should end up somewhere around $.03 per load for detergent. I also made felted wool dryer balls so I no longer have to use dryer sheets. I wouldn't say those are a money saver, as I spent almost $15 on the yarn (I don't have scraps of yarn laying around), but considering I think most dryer sheets are too potent, this is a great alternative. I rounded out the day by making the most divine homemade brownies ever. Oh, how I love Martha and her recipes. I made her fudgy brownies, and Oh. My. Goodness. I could have eaten the entire pan last night. Fortunately, I waited until tonight to polish them off. The kidlets were fantastic, I even got some work done and finished the laundry. It was a good day, and I hope all the other Mamas out there had a great day, too.

Why "the mama in red"?

2009-04-26T23:04:00.005-04:00

Well, even when I was little, I wasn't into pink. I liked my steno notebooks to be red. I loved red. I didn't like pink through school, but I may or may not have worn a pair of magenta tights to a "rave" party to benefit school. And then I went through the pink stage a few years back like everyone did—and am amazed at how much stuff I have left over from that phase. But now I'm back to red. I love red. I have a red purse that I carry every day. My lunch bag is red. My camera bag is red. I have two pairs of red shoes, for which I am known for wearing. Oh, and I am a mama to two kidlets, the Daughter is five going on fifteen and the Son will be three next month. I am a wife to my best friend, the Husband. I am a graphic/web designer, who dabbles in video editing during the day job, I have vowed to make use of my degree and get back into photography, thanks to the Husband who also made the decision for me on my spiffy new camera; I love to sew and am a Threadbanger, and I love to bake and cook. I'm all about homemade, I make my own breads, cupcakes, icings, cakes, and anything I can alter on the stove. But let's not forget that recently I have picked crocheting up again. Only, the first time I tried it, I never learned how to turn my work, so I could only crochet straight foundation lines. So if that's not enough, I am going to try to find my voice again with a new blog on a new platform. I can't first express how excited I am to break out my web skillz and design my own template without having to host it on my own. But we'll see how long that takes me. A jill of all trades, you know.