1 yr ago today

Daddy left for Iraq. What a wild year we've had. The Wee One has grown so much---she's not the same little girl he left! I'm not the same as when he left but definitely for the better---25lbs lighter! Woo Hoo!

The good news is we're in the home stretch & there is an end in sight!

I'm aiming for at least 5 more pounds before he gets home!!

You know your degree hasn't gone to waste

when you're grocery shopping & go past the floral department. I do it everytime I'm in the grocery store. The Wee One & I smell flowers. Hyacinths are my favorites. Especially purple ones. Pink & white are fine but purple? Heaven!

So I wander thru & discover a beautiful purple Hyacinth & in my head I think:


'You gave me hyacinths first a year ago;

'They called me the hyacinth girl.'*


and you realize that all those English Lit classes in college weren't for naught! Eliot, people! I'm quoting TS Eliot in the floral department of Publix.

So not only am I 5 with my love of ants on a log, I'm also still a 20 yr old quoting literature!





*The Waste Land. It also features the popular line "April is the cruelest month" Since the Wee One's birthday is in April I respectfully disagree!

I swear, I'm 5

Every evening I have a snack. Some nights it's cheese & crackers, sometimes I have fruit, some nights I splurge & have a "hoodsie" cup (it's a New England reference & you may not get it)---one of those individual serving cups of ice creams that are popular at kid's birthday parties.

I'm doing a 5 week challenge & this is week 2. The challenge is to eat 5 servings of fruits/vegetables, exercise 30 min, drink 64oz of water & walk 10k steps every day. The water & 30 min. exercise are easy for me. I have a diet coke in the morning for my caffeine & then I drink water the rest of the day. Each day I walk w/ the Wee One & Libby. If it's a school day for the Wee One I try to get to the gym or walk Libby that morning as well. The 10k steps----my best yet is 9k!

The fruits & veggies---I'm good w/ 4 but am really pushing for the 5.

So the other night I decided "ants on a log" sounded really good for a snack. You do know what they are right? Celery w/ peanut butter & you place raisins on top of the PB. Hence, ants on a log! Crunchy, sweet & peanut buttery goodness all in one! Yes, I am 5!

It's a Leap Year!

I remember when I was little thinking that Leap Years were special. The idea of an extra day--WOW! So to not blog today would be wrong!

We had a nice day, the Wee One & I. We stayed in this morning because I mistakenly thought we could get tickets for Disney on Ice in April. No, today was the "pre-sale buzz" BUZZ? BUZZ???? The buzz I have is that I want tickets. NOW. But no, we have to wait for 2 more weeks. Fine, be that way!

So we got ready & went to post to pick up a a couple prescription refills, have lunch at the PX & then go to the tax center to have our taxes done. We got more back than I thought considering Hunter's income wasn't taxed from April on. We headed over to Ulta to see if they had the Stila tinted moisturizer that I am lusting after. Nope, only the light color that is too light on me (i know, right?). So we came home, had an abbreviated rest hour, went outside for puppy bowl, our walk & then home for supper.

Tomorrow is 1 March---we're days away from the 12 month milestone in the deployment. Such a bittersweet occasion.

Shush, no sad talk! It's a Leap Year!!! Hunter will be home in a few months, we'll go on our vacation, the Wee One will start Pre-k (oh.muh.gawd! How time has flown), the Olympics are this summer! YAY! The last time it was a Leap Year I was pregnant w/ the Wee One. There, a happy memory!

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

My own 27 dresses

Okay, so not 27 but 6. Last month, while the wee one was at Spouse's Day Out I went for a mani/pedi & to see "27 dresses". Cute chick flick & anyone who has been a bridesmaid can totally relate to this movie!

My 6 dresses:

1) Horrific mauve polyester number with a lace yoke circa 1984. I was a bridesmaid in my brother Todd's wedding. If the dress wasn't bad enough I was forced to wear a full length strapless slip. That chose to FALL DOWN to under my underdeveloped 16 yr old bustline during the ceremony. I remember walking down the aisle at the end of the wedding trying to make it w/out the slip winding up in a pool around my feet. The usher I walked with was a friend of my brother's & laughed at me the whole way. Sadly, I dont have any pictures of Todd's wedding with me--they must all be at Mom & Dad's house.





2) Mauve reigns again in 1985 when my brother Michael got married. Our dresses were an off the shoulder mauve (AGAIN!) satin. The pic of me walking down the aisle is one of my favorites. In fact, it's my "goal" picture for my weight loss. Do you love my "totally awesome" 80's bi level hair cut & tan lines?

3) Chintz anyone? In 1989 my best friend from high school got married to her college sweetheart & our dresses were pastel floral numbers. The colors were pretty on everyone but when I saw PJ (the bridesmaid who had gone dress hunting w/ Marilee) in hers I realized how good it looked on her. Lesson learned: ALWAYS volunteer to go dress shopping. You're guaranteed a dress that looks good on YOU!











4) 1990--My friend Brenda got married to her hubby John & we wore iridescent navy blue taffeta. Possibly one of the prettiest dresses ever chosen for bridesmaids. Sadly, no pictures exist (in my possession anyway) of me in this dress. I could point you to the video (online) of their wedding but you'd think I spent the reception sober which wasn't the case!






5) 1993--Heather got married & as maid of honor I got to go dress shopping! AND choose the color! Muahahahhahahah VICTORY IS MINE!! Heather gave me a choice of red or black. Um, I have fair skin, brunette--RED! YES! 2 piece dress reminescent of Julie McCoy on the Love Boat but good God, the color was BEAUTIFUL! My skirt was ripped while I was dancing with the best man---he dipped me & stepped on my hem. My leg went up & rrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiipppppppppppppppp! It was mended & worn to a military ball!



6) 1993 again! My friend Ellen married her boyfriend Jay who was my high school beau (we dated very briefly). In fact, she wouldn't go on a 1st date w/ him unless my then-boyfriend & I went with them! Interestingly enough I wasn't invited on the honeymoon! Hunter green velvet was the dress choice (fall wedding). And keeping with the torn dress trend of '93---my dress was torn by the best man. At least he drove me home to change & then to the groom's parents house for the after party. While I loved the dress, the picture of me in it, posing prom style w/ the best man, the groom's sister (another bridesmaid) cousin (usher) is SO horrible & I am feeling vain so you'll just have to imagine it on me. OR if you were there, say "No Laurie, you looked adorable!"

I have to admit, I loved my gown from my 1st wedding. It was a beautiful ivory silk gown ---think Scarlett O'Hara's when she married Charles Hamilton. Seriously. Same poofy sleeves (mine were less ornate), same fitted bodice, full skirt etc. I had a beaded headband with a Cathedral length veil. My hair was short (chin length curly bob) & my ex's niece proclaimed that I looked like Snow White. The pictures are somewhere at my parents house.

When Hunter & I got married it was by the Justice of the Peace & as you can see I wore a black suit. The joke was it was the "un-wedding" as we'd both been down the big wedding road before & that just didn't work out. So a simple black suit did the trick. Sometimes it's the simplest of things that work! Although I do wish I'd had the idea to have my friends wear the dresses I'd worn in their weddings when they were my bridesmaids!!

Houston, we have FO!

Be my Dishcloth from Ravelry is my first FO in over a month. I'm not kidding when I said LeslieJ took it!

Fun little dishcloth pattern & it made a nice sized cloth. I'm going to make another heart cloth (again, thank you Ravelry & my friend Cathy W!) & call them baby washcloths. They'll be a gift along w/ a blanket for a friend of mine who is due in June w/ little girl #3.

My Wee One is staying dry all day! I know, I know, say something out loud & it'll jinx it but still. I am SO proud of her. I knew she could do it & she has. Most mornings she's woken up dry as well so we're doing great!

Let's go back to LeslieJ, the mojo thief, . . .we're doing a swap this month & it turns out she has me (we met in a dishcloth swap just over a yr ago when I had her). So we exchange a few emails discussing the swap & I mention that I might be interested in hosting one. Another bag swap perhaps. Then LeslieJ has the BEST idea. A sock swap where you make 1 sock for your pal & send them the yarn etc to make the mate! No SSS! How fun is that? It's no wonder she teaches preschool!

So what do you think? Does that sound like a fun swap? I dont want anything so huge that it's a pain in the neck to coordinate & have people flake on because that's just no fun. Something like maybe 20 people? Small enough to get to know personalities etc but big enough that it's not the same personalities. Did that even make sense?

I'm thinking that signups would be during March, partners announced 1 April & socks/packages are due by 1 June. Of course dates etc are up for debate.

If you're interested in doing this type of swap, please leave a comment and/or message me on Ravelry. I'm lauriec!

My oldest baby turns 5

Here she is yesterday at Puppy Bowl (fetch). Libby was born 16 Feb. 2003 & came to live with me (Hunter was in Iraq for the Invasion) on the 15th of April that same year. She became ours by default----Hunter's aunt owned her great uncle & great grandmother and her best friend down the street owned Libby's mother & grandmother. Well the mother (Daisy) was bred in Dec 2002 & when we found out she was having puppies told his aunt we wanted one. Specifically a small female who was sweet & spunky.

Fast forward to early April. The ILS are in ATL at the aunt's house en route to their time share. I go up for a few days to visit. I ask his aunt about seeing the puppies & all of a sudden she gasps & says "OMG you guys wanted one!" They thought that because Hunter was gone that we wanted to wait to get a dog. I was so mad. So I get over it, go visit & we see the puppies---3 females (all parti colored like Libby) & 2 males (one yooooge dark gray one & a smaller black one) and they are all sweet & spunky! They love belly rubs & are just sweet little dogs. I find out that the guy who was going to take the big male might not take him. "WE WILL!!" I tell everyone. The breeder (the aunt's friend) asks me to wait a week b/c the guy will let her know at that time if he's taking the male who is known as "tank"

So we fast forward a week & I find out that he is taking Tank but the people who want Libby can't take her so she is OURS!! I arrange to pick her up the day after Easter. A crate, dog food, toys etc later I drive up to ATL to pick her up. She sounded like a squeaky toy when she barked & was so little!

She cried most of the drive home (she was the 2nd dog to leave the litter) & almost choked on her collar the first night I had her (got it stuck in her mouth like a bit b/c it was too loose!). I had to carry her up & down stairs b/c she was so tiny. Slowly she got used to her new home, was smart enough to know that the door was where to go when she was ready to go outside & loved belly rubs!

When I was pregnant w/ the Wee One she used to sit next to me w/ her head on my belly. She's always been sweet with the Wee One & has put up w/ her toys being stolen, having a guest (Wee One) in her crate, having a scarf/blankets draped over her so she'd feel better & being dressed up like Jesus.

She still loves belly rubs & her favorite thing is playing ball in the afternoon. She's always goign to be my oldest baby & I'm sad to say, her bark no longer sounds like a squeaky toy!

Potty brag!! (TMI for non parents!)

I know, I know, pride cometh before a fall, I dont care! Today we had a "pj day" & stayed home. We played, I knitted, went out for Puppy Bowl around 4, saw the ducks etc etc. The Wee One took it upon herself to go potty by herself all day. It was great. Then tonight before getting into bed she sat on the potty & pooped! I swear, I almost cried I was so excited! I bought a "June" doll from Little Einstens a couple days ago in anticipation of this day & told her that when it happened that she had a special surprise. She loved it & took June to bed w/ her tonight. Tomorrow we're going to Monkey Joes as a treat as well.

I'm sure accidents will happen but I think this is what she needed for it to really "click". She's been doing great otherwise so I am excited that we are rapidly on our way to being fully trained!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love it or hate it , today is Valentine's Day. All day. It feels as if it's been here for a month already with all the advertising.

Hunter bought me a nice watch & we sent him a box o'goodies a couple weeks ago. Plus, I got to talk to him online today which was great.

The Wee One came home from school with a bunch of suckers (which she must call lollypops) , cookies & candy from classmates. One of my worst nightmares (I call it "nightmare #24") went down in my living room---she had a sucker going, pulled it out of her mouth just long enoughto stuff in a chocolate heart & then insisted I open a packet of that "lick n dip" crud. Or whatever it's called. The stick that you dip into the colored sugar? My blood sugar is spiking just thinking about it. The rest of the suckers have been put away & the chocolate hearts are in the mug w/ her potty training treats.

Speaking of which, we've woken up dry 2 mornings in a row (I'm sure I've just jinxed tonight!) & she stayed dry at school all week. YAY! I'm really encouraged & am hoping we're on the road to success. Hoping, nah, I know we are.

So back to Valentine's Day. It hit me earlier that it's a day to recognize those you care about. I'm grateful for Hunter, the Wee One & our families. I think that goes without saying. I'm also very grateful for my friends---both IRL as well as those of you I've never met IRL but who have been a constant source of support to me during this deployment. Every comment on my blog, email, message on Ravelry means so much to me. So thank you my friends, I love you & consider yourselves showered w/ love!

xox

Laurie

She's crafty

(with apologies to the Beastie Boys)

I'm not super strict about a lot of things w/ the Wee One except bedtime & sugar. Yes, she gets a little chocolate for potty training treats & I'll give her chocolate milk, but no soda, juice is limited & candy's seriously restricted.

So when it came to Valentine's Day & making cookies for her friends at school I discovered this website & what a great alternative it is! http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11585

I made 2 batches---the first one didn't come out too bad---the bottoms were nice (the part that was in the muffin pan) but the tops (the part exposed) looked too melty & blended. So I remade them with only 4 pieces of crayon & BAM! There they are! I'm going to make 1 more batch so each child will have 2 crayons in their goody bag.

The wee one also wants to make blueberry muffins in the 2nd pan JoAnn sent me as part of my Jan. swap so we'll get all Martha Stewart this afternoon.