And the Times They Are A Chaning

I am what most (OK, everyone) would call opinionated. I see a lot in black and white. Gray is something that is relatively new to me. I am noticing though, that in my ripe old age (cough - thirty three - cough) that the world is full of gray. A younger friend, a very close, younger friend who reminds me so much of myself at her age said something the other day that was very opinionated. Not wrong mind you, just her opinion and I disagreed. As I did so, I realized that five or ten years ago I would have stood my ground and argued my point. Now I just say to each their own.

What is happening to me? I can't help but think this is a good thing. I also can't help but cringe at the memory of me spouting my die cast opinions to older relatives and coworkers in times past. How they most have shook their heads at my brazenness.

I look in the mirror and I don't think I look all that much older (you know, as long as I don't go near a scale or peak at the lines around my eyes) than I did in my twenties. I don't feel my age. But I wonder if the patience and acceptance I find in middle age isn't the most telling change for me.

Cartoon Humor

The funniest thing happened this morning while watching Blue's Clues my toddler. I realize how sad it is that I am find humor and blogging material from Blue's Clues; but hey, write about what you know, right?

So today's episode was about animals and their surroundings (I guess habitat was too fancy for a 3 year old age demographic.) Steve was an elephant, Pail was a beaver, etc., etc.. Well Blue "sca-doo'd" into a book and they met up with a new character. She showed them some fish in their surroundings. My point, and no it is really not to recap the entire episode for you. is this: The lady's name.

Lady Good Diver

Ha, Lady Good Diver - cause she is a lady and a good diver. Those writers I tell you, such cards. But all I could think about was Lady Godiva. (Because when you haven't even had a sip of coffee yet - Lady Good Diver and Lady Godiva sound an awful lot alike.) This segue into thinking how inappropriate it would be to have Lady Godiva on Blue's Clues; which cause me to chuckle quietly.

I love when writers do this with children's shows. It as if they are throwing a bone to the parents forced to watch the show - kinda like - "we know this sucks and is boring as all get out, so here think about this." Disney is good for this too. My favorite is still the Lion King when Pumba and Timon are talking about why Simba is sad and one says "What's eating him," and the other says "nothing eats him, he is at the top of the food chain." Comic genius there I tell you.

5 Year Plan - Condensed - And How

Remember the 5 Year Plan, or the 3 Year Plan? Maybe everyone didn't have one of those, but it seemed a fairly standard interview question back in the day. I am condensing my 5 year plan considerably. Like oh say - one fifth of that. Yep, one year. To see great changes. Huge Changes. In MY life.

I have long sat around, often after a few glasses of wine, and thought how can I control my own destiny. I will admit to wanting a get rich quick scheme or two to fall into my hands. But time has shown me other things. I no longer want to get rich. (Not that I would throw away any money anyone may want to give me) I have simpler goals.

And today - I took the first step to making them come true.

to be continued . . . .

Absence Explained

My postings have been few and far between. For the most part living in real life is the reason. But this past month. There is something more.
I have been bitten by the Twilight bug. I was persuaded to read just Twilight because she was sure I was going to love it. "Please read it!" "Have you got it yet?" Sigh - I love a good read. So I got it. Six hours later I was on to this.

A quarter of the way through Book Two I went online and read Midnight Sun. Loved it. Finished it in two days. Came back to New Moon. Finished it up in record time as well.

Honestly can't even remember half of Eclipse. I read it so fast. Impatient to move on to Breaking Dawn.

Devoured Breaking Dawn in 3 days. So, in less than two weeks, while working and parenting I read all four of the Twilight Saga books. I know this isn't as fast as others have read them. I know a few people who read all four in one weekend - to them I say - "Lucky" and "You don't have a Toddler in the house". Much to my husband's dismay I am in the process of re-reading the Saga. At a much reduced speed so as to absorb the nuances of the author's stories.

Kudo's to an author that can make you wish fantasy were reality. I love falling into book series. Even though I am always sad when they end. Or impatient waiting for the next book.

Strawberry Cake Cookies

Sometimes I need to make a quick dessert to take to a friend's for dinner. Or a sweet tooth craving hits all of the sudden. I go to my husband's favorite cookie. Not cause it's his favorite - just cause they are quick to make. And I keep the ingredients on hand most of the time. Strawberry Cake Cookies are good.




Here's what you need:
1 Box Strawberry Supreme Cake Mix
1 Container Cool Whip (I use sugar free so I feel better, but you do what you gotta do)
2 eggs
Small dish of powder sugar (approx. 3 tablespoons)

Mix the cake mix, the cool whip, and the eggs together in a bowl until all combined. Spoon a large spoonful (I use a soup spoon) of cookie batter, invert into powder sugar bowl to dust top. Use another spoon to transfer to a cookie sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven for anywhere between 6-10 minutes. Your first batch has got to be watched very carefully. You want these cookies to just start to brown. They are meant to be very soft and chewy. As soon as they start to look dry and a teensy bit brown on the edges they need to come out. My first tray almost always is too done.

They are a super fast, super easy treat. Enjoy!

Fallen

Toot Toot's 18 month Portrait.

It isn't new. She will be two years old in a month.

So as child portraits go - it is almost out of date.

I have this picture on my office bookcase. In front of my desk.

I look at it no less than twenty times a day. Seriously. At least that much.

I find myself staring away precious moments of my work day. I can't help it.

I am so in love with this girl.

Who she is today. Who she will be tomorrow.

I can not get enough of her.

I should be used to our routine. Yet, I find myself watching the clock.

And this picture. Counting the hours until I can go get her.

And have that smile for myself.

I have fallen in love with her everyday since I first met her.

I don't think I will ever get enough.

The twinkle of her blue eyes.

The spring in her soft blond curls.

The crooked dimples that she got from me.

The sweet way she holds her hands.

Hands that still hold the look of toddlerhood.

I've Fallen.

Split Personality

Dividing my time between two blogs - obviously doesn't work well (or at all). I feel like I have to update Toot Toot's blog to keep the grandparents and various relatives in the loop.

My blog suffers. Not that I have "traffic" or followers that are waiting for a post. But my creativity dwindles. I write several funny posts on the other blog and I am left with nothing creative over here.

Is this a euphemism for motherhood. Do we spend all our energy on the kiddos leaving little left over for ourselves?

Gone Baby Gone

Our crib is gone.

Packed away.

Big girl bed is out.

Having the hardest time.

We are not done having kids.

There will be other babies in our house.

Why is putting the crib away so hard?

Over It

I am aware I have only been a non-smoker for a little over a week. I know that my doctor recommends (as do the makers of Chantix) that I stay on this medication for at least three months. I know I didn't even take it for three weeks. But I am over it.

The Chantix worked exactly as promised. It very quickly attached itself to my little nicotine brain receptors and made smoking less enjoyable for me. Truly - it did. After only 4 days of taking the reduced, first week, dose - I was done smoking, with very little cigarette cravings. And that is wonderful and I am thankful. I continued to take the prescribed amount for most of the second week. Then yesterday morning it was hectic, I was tired and I forgot. So last night when I got ready for bed I took the PM pill.

Today - no pill. I am done. The reason - the nausea. I can't handle it any more. It makes me feel pregnant - which by the way, I am not. I think I needed that feeling to quit. But now - it just is. Well. Nauseating. Even when taking it after meals. Nothing I have tried made the feeling go away.

I know this isn't the "right" way to do it, but I feel very confident that I am over the smoking hump. I even went out to a smokey bar and hung out with half a dozen of my smoker friends, while drinking alcohol (classy, I know) and didn't smoke. I feel like my willpower and the support of friends and family are enough to keep me from ever relapsing. Not to mention just picturing my sweet girl's face, who was my inspiration for quitting again in the first place.

My friends are being great about me being the only non-smoker in the bunch. Just yesterday I got this text message from BB. "Bit of good news! cigs went up a dollar statewide, so isnt it great u quit!"

Overall, I still highly recommend Chantix to anyone who is trying to quit smoking. I still intend to utilize the Chantix online support that they offer and the techniques I have already learned. I am just done with the little blue pill. But I am still grateful to it!

Pass the Ginko Please

Do you ever have a brain flash? Not like a Chuck flash, just a regular good idea. And you think to yourself, "Self, write this down so you don't forget it". And your Self is all "Forget It, Schmet It - Whatever. I will NEVER forget this. It is good blogging material". So you actually listen to your Self and DON'T write down this brilliant idea.

And then it is gone. Like a Freight Train, or yesterday and everything else Montgomery Gentry thinks.

I hate it when that happens. I have spent the morning racking my brain, replaying exactly what I was doing when I had the idea. Still nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

So now - I got nothing. I am thinking about getting a little notebook. Or maybe a new cell phone with that voice note feature. (I am up for a cell phone renewal - otherwise I wouldn't just get a new cell phone). I find that if I am at work when I have a post idea it is easy - I am normally at my computer and can just jot down the idea in a new post, save it and finish it later. If I am home with TootToot or worse out with her - the idea never seems to make it to the blog. I am going to work on this. And I am also going to try and remember what I wanted to write about today to start with.

Pick Your Protein

What's for dinner? It is a never ending question - the ideas, the planning. It gets tiresome. Not the cooking part, the planning part. Trying to accommodate every one's preferences can be challenging. Especially because we would all like to have our preferred protein every night. Which got me to thinking - what does everyone else do? Does your family, as a whole or individually, have a strong liking to one group of food. Play along.

What are you:

~Pal of Pork

~Friend of Fish

~Buddy of Beef

~Confidante of Chicken

~Lover of Lettuce (or Tofutti)

I can answer easily for my family. The Hubbin is the numero uno Buddy of Beer Beef. TootToot is a Pal of Pork, that kid will take it any way she can get it Bacon, Ham, BBQ - but Bacon generally wins out (sorry Linds, I know this probably grosses you out). I fall under the Friend of Fish category as a first choice. But living with those two - I end up compromising the most. Plus seafood can be expensive. I know some people say they honestly don't care. They eat anything. They aren't picky. Well, neither am I, but I have a preference. So come on, pick your protein.

Finding and Fostering Independence

We are at a delicate stage in TootToot's development. Delicate only because if she doesn't get what she wants or is unable to do something on her own she has become prone to throwing herself on the floor and screaming. Oh yeah - she went there. Darn smart kid, always trying to be ahead of the curve - can't she wait for the Terrible Twos like everyone else. But I digress, this isn't a bash my kids temperament/stubbornness post. It is a discussion, with only me talking (snort), about helping her learn to do things for herself while showing her that it is OK to lean on someone or ask for help when you need it. And above all else to teach her that, for the love of God, nothing good every comes from throwing yourself on the floor and screaming. (Unless you are on fire, God forbid, but we haven't even covered Stop, Drop and Roll yet) So, back to my original point.

Throwing oneself on the floor and screaming maniacally = BAD!

The trick, I have discovered, is to let her do as much as possible by herself to foster her independence. While remaining nearby to show support. And being willing to step in and help when she asks or before she completely loses her shit. I feel like we are making some improvements here. TootToot frequently comes to me now and grabs my hand to take me somewhere to help her with something. And I have noticed a slight decrease in the tantrums. So apparently, we aren't completely screwing her up yet.

On Finding The Time

Where does it go. One minute you have this tiny little person who literally depends on you for everything and the next day you find yourself chasing a mischievous toddler around because she keeps trying to eat the Chap Stick. It isn't only weeks that are sliding by. It has become days and minutes.
I thought, mistakenly, that by not smoking I would have more free time. Not less. Granted it hasn't even been a week yet, so I haven't exactly established a new pattern for the evenings. But let me include a very brief breakdown of my average weekday and please feel free to tell me where I can fit in some fun things. Particularly, exercise, scrap booking, blogging or reading - any of those would be fine.

6:00AM Wake Up
7:00AM Get TootToot* Ready
7:30AM Leave for Daycare/Work
8:00AM Get to Work
8:00-5:00PM Work
5:00 PM Leave Work/Pick Up TootToot* from Daycare
5:30 PM Walk in the Door
5:30-8:00PM Get dinner ready, read 2 books 10 times each, watch Mickey Mouse Playhouse twice, alternate between cleaning a room of the house/paying bills/doing laundry/prepping dinner for the next night, pack lunches and daycare stuff
8:00 PM Give TootToot* a bath
8:30 PM Last Cup of Milk, Book or Show before bed
9:00 PM Put the child to sleep
9:00PM-11:00PM Blog, Finish Laundry or lunches, watch tv, have an adult conversation with my husband or on the phone with a friend.
11:00PM Go to bed to start anew the next day

So this is pretty close for Monday through Thursday nights. I have looked at it over and over and I can't find any space. I cannot function on purposely getting less sleep. I have a teething toddler and the reality is 11Pm to 6AM rarely goes by uninterrupted. I really don't want to stay up later or get up earlier. There is always the weekends for catching up on stuff but sometimes events pop up throughout the week that cause overflow anyway.

So what I want to know is when can I pluck my eyebrows or give myself a pedicure?

*TootToot is the Tater - same kid - different nickname. I have stopped calling her Tater Tot because she now calls herself TootToot and I love it. So TootToot it is.

Finished Quitting

I did it!! I haven't had a cigarette since Saturday, February 28th, 2009 at 7:30PM. I have added a Quit Meter to my page to track my savings. And I also found this interesting information online.*

When you quit smoking,...the benefits for your health begin within minutes of your last cigarette.

After 8 hrs
Nicotine and Carbon Monoxide level reduce by half, oxygen levels return to normal

After 24 hrs
Carbon Monoxide eliminated from the body. Lungs start to clear out mucus and debris.

After 48 hrs
There is no nicotine left in the body. Ability to smell and taste greatly improved.

After 72 hrs
Breathing becomes easier. Bronchial tubes begin to relax and energy levels increase.

After 2-12 wks
Circulation improves, making walking and running a lot easier.

After 3-9 months
Coughs, wheezing and breathing problems improve.

After 1 year
Your excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker after one year.

After 2 year
Your chance of achieving long-term success with quitting tobacco increases significantly after two years.

After 5 years
From 5 to 15 years after quitting tobacco, stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked.

After 10 years
* Risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half that of continuing smokers* Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases* Risk of ulcers decreases

After 15 years
* Risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked* Risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked

I will be nicotine free after 7:30 tonight!

* Information obtained from this site.

100th Post?

WTH? So my 100th post was a recipe. Oh, well. I have been waiting for what seemed like forever to get to 100 posts and then it comes and goes in one fell swoop and nothing goes up but a recipe. Seriously?

OK, moving on. Maybe when I get to 1,000 I will be paying a little closer attention. But I doubt it!

Come Check Out the Band Meme

Nothing new here except the debut album of the next one hit wonder group! Introducing for the first time evah!

I know Facebook. Meme's. Bleck. I wasn't going to post it I just wanted to look and see. But when I saw what my selections were I couldn't help it. I mean what are the odds of getting a band named Party Bike with an album image of a guy on a BIKE. Kismet I tell ya! So here ya go.

No pressure. No tags. But it was fun. So if you are interested this is how you play.

Go to Wikipedia and click "Random Article" it's over on the left - The first article is the name of your band.

The go to Random Quotations and select "Random Quotes" - Last four or five words are the title for your first album.

Then go to Flickr and select "Explore the Last Seven Days" - The third picture is your album cover.

Finally, go to Photoshop or some other editing software and make it your own.

Even if you don't do the Photoshop part - it is pretty funny. But you can't change anything. Just hit the random one time and move on to the next item. Hope you enjoy it and let me know when the tickets go on sale. I am a fan of the lawn seats, thanks.

Pizza Dip

This dip is the Bomb Diggity. It is so popular at parties that it is always gone first. And at smaller gatherings people tend to eat so much of it that the main course has been skipped. On top of it's cheesy deliciousness - it is super easy to make. This recipe and photos aren't up to Pioneer Woman quality but you can just file this away for a quick fix. So consider yourself warned.

Please to enjoy!

What you need:
1 Block of Cream Cheese
Small Jar of Pizza (or Spaghetti) Sauce
Oregano
2 Cups Pizza Cheese (I use a Mozzarella and Cheddar Blend)

Serve with Crackers: Ritz, Triscuits, Wheat Thins all work fine.

What to do:
Let cream cheese soften to room temperature (or you can nuke it for 30 seconds in the microwave if you are in a hurry). Stir cream cheese and approx. 1 tablespoon of oregano together and spread in the bottom of a pie plate or small casserole dish. I used a 7x11 dish.

Once you have the cream cheese layer you pour a layer of sauce and spread that around. Top with 2 cups of shredded cheese. You can add pepperoni, sausage, olives or other toppings at this point - or just leave it plain. It should look something like this.

Put it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let cool slightly (of brave 3rd degree burns - your choice). Serve with assorted crackers.

The final product looks like this moments before the vultures masses decends upon it. Is there anything better than melted cheese?

My Journey to Quit Quitting

Yep, I did it. I went and got a prescription to quit smoking. I have been a quitter, quit being a quitter - more than I would like. I have smoked on and off since I was 16. I have quit for a total of 5 years during that period. My latest go round with smoking has lasted 9 months. I am done. I want to be done. For me, but mostly for my daughter. I don't want her to associate the smell of second hand smoke with her mama. Not to mention the obvious health risks, harm to the environment and extra expense of smoking. I just don't want my kid to think I stink.

So I started Chantix today. My quit date is Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009.

Wish me luck!

OCD or Just Overly Critical

Why is it that you can spend three hours cleaning your house until it is spotless and sparkly and then it only stays that way for the two hours that your husband is at a softball game and your toddler is napping? Seriously, as I walked around my house tonight I had crumbs all over the kitchen floor, dirty counters, toothpaste in the bathroom sink and my daughter spilled milk on the carpet in her bedroom. This does not even begin to touch on the toys in the living room, the books in the bathroom (again the toddler who is potty training) and the grass by the backdoor that the dog drug in with her.

I will be the first person to admit that I am particular when it comes to the house and my things being neat and organized. I will also admit that in the grand scheme of things - these are inconsequential worries.

But my questions is were do you draw the line? What is me being ultra critical of my house and what is just giving up. Do I have the problem because I cannot go to bed or leave for work until it is all straightened up? Do other people do this? What worries me the most is how do you stay on top of it with two or more kids?

I don't want my child/children to become household help. I do believe everyone can do their part. My twenty-two month old can pick up most of her toys on her own. But I get tired. And I get cranky when it is messy. And the idea that it could possibly be more than I can get done in a day with work and children and dinner and laundry and cleaning - it boggles the mind.

What does everyone else do?

Flashback - Nutella Edition

Have you every noticed that some days you are just walking along, minding your own business - pushing the huge cart through Costco - and BAM! something just hits you? No, it wasn't that 8 year old who was pushing the cart away from his mother and got out of control, it was a memory. Or Flashback if you will. One of the product/sample/demonstrator people were pushing some food on people happy to walk around and snack while shopping. I heard her tell the current shopper that this was better for you than cream cheese. Well that got my attention right there - cause I lulz me some some cream cheese. Then I looked over and saw it was this . .

Nutella - I used to love Nutella. I had a friend back in grade school (and high school and most of college before we lost touch and were reunited thanks to facebook sorry run on ramblings) whose mom always used to serve us Nutella for breakfast. It was fabulous - the idea of chocolate in the morning - yummo.

This friend, E., her mom always set the most beautiful breakfast table. She would have orange juice (in a glass pitcher - not the Tropicana carton), coffee, tea, milk, bagels, croissants and a wide assortment of marmalade, jams and spreads. She always set everything out on pretty plates and platters. It was great.

But the Nutella, spread on a warm croissant - oh wow. Really. I haven't bought any Nutella since high school. Honestly, I haven't even thought about it that much at all. But seeing it in the store the other day made me nostalgic. And thinky (Is so a word). Wonder how many different things I could put Nutella on now that my cooking prowess has grown (along with my waistline)?

I resisted the impulse buy. Which if you shop big box warehouse stores, you know, you gotta resist the impulse buys - or else you bill is easily several hundred dollars more than planned. But, I am glad I had the flashback. Do these things happen to everyone?

For The Love Of . . . .

Could someone please tell me why we spent all this money on a new, super comfy KING.SIZE. BED and I only sleep on 1/3 of it with an almost 2 yr old laying across the top half of me and a 30+ lb. Cocker Spaniel laying on my feet?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller?

Bueller?

No, well that is all. Continue with your day.

The Great Blizzard of '09

Have you heard - there is some amazing things happening today. I know, I know, most people would assume I was referring to the inauguration of our next President. But I'm not. People - side note tangent: my grandmother used to call us You People when we were over her house, ah, good times. Anywho - People! - It SNOWED in WILMINGTON. This is huge. HUGE. I say. It doesn't snow here at the beach. I have lived here for five years and have never seen so much as a flurry before today. The last time it snowed here was 2002 and before that 1988. Seriously - snow here - it's kinda a big deal. So of course school closed, work closed and we went home to play in the snow.

Aww - So pretty.

The Tater & I all bundled up. The kid doesn't even have a snow suit or snow boots. She is wearing her Wellies (or fishing boots as the Hubbin refers to them).

This is the massive accumulation on our front lawn. Shoveling - it took hours.

Butt Pee

Here's Your Sign:

Backstory: My entire household was felled with a stomach bug. Much vomiting, diarrhea and unpleasantness ensued.

When your 20 month old grabs the back of her diaper and say" PooPoo Mama, Oh no, Oh no, Oh no!"

Poor Baby!

Enjoy the rest of your day. Hopefully, you have already eaten lunch.

Dirty Santa & The Big 40

We had our annual Dirty Santa party last weekend and simultaneously celebrated a good friend's belated 4-oh. I had the honor of making his cake. Pictures follow.

The Birthday Boy Testing The Goods

More Funbag Shots

Last One, I swear

Who Comes Up With These Things?

So I was listening to the radio today at work and heard the following:

"You can always count on a Fat Boy to have gas"

Turns out they are talking about some kind of extra large capacity fuel tank for something or anyother (not the Harley).

But seriously.

That is all, you may return to your regularly scheduled life now.

I Suck

Gosh - Could I go much longer between posts and keep the blog open. I doubt it. No excuses, not even that I switched the Tater's blog over to Blogger or that we decorated the house for Christmas or had company 2 out of the last 4 weeks. None of that counts. So sorry. I suck.

Long Live The King, Or Queen in This Case

Gosh - Could I go much longer between posts and keep the blog open. I doubt it. No excuses, not even that I switched the Tater's blog over to Blogger or that we decorated the house for Christmas or had company 2 out of the last 4 weeks. None of that counts. I didn't even announce my temporary hiatus. But I sure did have a good time. Bygones. Anyway . . .

So, you know you have a living breathing example of minority rules in your house when your 19 month old (today actually, thankyouverymuch) dictates where she sleeps. We start out the night with everyone in their own bed, all snuggled in and uber comfy. Until sometime in the vicinity of 1AM and Too Damn Early to get up. Then it begins. "MaMa!" Normally when this occurs it is whispered into my face from a distance of 1/2" away then followed up with a kiss to seal the deal. Being as she is already gotten out of her bed and into ours at this point normally assures that she will be allowed to lay down between us and go back to sleep.

The other night however I heard her in her room and I went in there. I laid, using the term very loosely given the size of the bed, down with her on her toddler bed. That lasted for a minute until she sat up, climbed over me and proceeded to walk down the hall. By the time I caught up with the little minx she was laying all comfy cozy in our bed, on my pillow saying "Nite, Nite, MaMa!" And I let her stay there too. Never in a million years did I think I would be whipped by a girl under three feet tall. But I love her. And I wouldn't have it any other way. Interrupted nights of sleep and all.

To add insult to injury, once I climbed back in to my bed next to her she taps me on the shoulder and says "MikMik MaMa" (Milk Mama) so I have to get back up and go get her a cup of milk. Which I do. When did I become such a sucker.

Sometimes Emails Make For Good Posts

I received this from my mother-in-law today and some of them made me smile. Especially #9.

WITH ALL OF THE TALK OF MERGERS THIS WEEK - HERE IS A LIST OF GREAT INVESTMENT TIPS.

To my friends who may want to enrich their stock portfolios! Investment tips for 2008 For all of you with any money left, be aware of the next expected mergers so that you can get in on the ground floor and make some BIG bucks. Watch for these consolidations in 2008:

1.) Hale Business Systems, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Fuller Brush, and W. R. Grace Co. Will merge and become: Hale, Mary, Fuller, Grace.

2.) PolygramRecords, Warner Bros., and Zesta Crackers join forces and become: Poly, Warner Cracker.

3.) 3M will merge with Goodyear and become: MMMGood

4.) Zippo Manufacturing, AudiMotors, Dofasco, and Dakota Mining will merge and become: ZipAudiDoDa .

5.) FedEx is expected to join its competitor, UPS, and become: FedUP.

6.) Fairchild Electronics and Honeywell Computers will become: Fairwell Honeychild.

7.) Grey Poupon and Docker Pants are expected to become: PouponPants.

8.) Knotts Berry Farm and the National Organization of Women will become: Knott NOW! And finally....

9.) Victoria 's Secret and Smith &Wesson will merge under the new name: TittyTittyBangBang

It's Her Potty and I'll Cry If I Want To

Prefaced to say: This is the post where I talk about my kids bodily functions. I would like to say it won't happen again. But the reality is - I am sure I am going to talk about these things for awhile to come.

A friend of mine gave me this fancy potty to use while potty training the Tater. I am not ready to go hard core potty training. She is after all, only 17 months old. But I thought, what the hay, we will just put it in her bathroom and see what she does.

The first day we had the potty Tater played around with the toilet paper roll and learned how to flush the potty. The second day I stripped her while running bath water and tried setting her on the potty. She would hop up and then sit back down. Yada, Yada, Yada. Until she stood right next to the potty and peed on the bathroom rug.
Then last night while I was again running her bath water (see how frequently we actually bath this kid) I again stripped her down and set her on the potty. After a few seconds she hoped up and grabbed some toilet paper. This has been going on for a few days. She grabs some toilet paper off the roll (Only 20-25 squares) and proceeds to wipe her belly button with it. Which is hysterical.
yes that is a q-tip in her ear. they are the baby safe kind and she is obsessed with having clean ears.

But last night when she got up of the potty I noticed that she had actually used it. Tater had peed on the potty. For the first time ever. I got so excited that I think she got confused. But we high fived and went on with our night.

I know parents (especially her grandparents) tell me that a)girls are easier than boys and b) we were all potty trained at a year. I just don't see how it happened. Tater clearly isn't all the way ready to potty train. She still sleeps soundly through wet diapers during the night and occasionally during nap time. But this is a step in the right direction. Even though the thought of my baby not being a baby and sob wearing big girl panties is too sad to even contemplate right now.

My personal theory on the successful early potty training of yesteryear is cloth diapers. They stunk, they got cold when wet and they had to be uber uncomfortable. 3 month olds were probably trying to get them off. Not that anyone asked my opinion. I was just sayin.

Baby, I Can Breath Again

Pheew, finally. I see it. I see the light. No, not that light. The light at the end of the arduous moving tunnel.

We made it, we are officially all moved in to the new house. All of our belongings once again reside under one roof and are (almost) all unpacked. I haven't hung one single thing on nary a window or wall - but it is mostly set up. Oh, and don't look in the garage - cause that looks like a tornado hit. But besides that we are in.

And there may be the teensy little detail of me not having ordered any living room furniture yet so all that is in that room is a rug, a little brown love seat and some of Tater's toys.

It is wonderful being a home owner again - I missed it more than I thought I would. Some people thrive with little obligations or ties. I am not one of those people. I like being tied to my house. I love this house.

Hopefully the internet will be fixed/set up tomorrow and I can upload some pictures of the Tater and the new house. I know I have been sorely remiss in that department.

Give us a few more weeks to get our stuff together than pop on over for a BBQ.