Curly Straight

Cozy sweats just out of the dryer.

After watching the show Weeds, I am always inspired to dress cuter.

Julia has the softest, most kissable, chewable cheeks in all of the land.

TJ calls a praying mantis a "pretty mantis."

Dunkin Donuts pumpkin spice coffee totally reminds me of Indian food.

TJ: I don't want bread, I want toast.

I think one of the differences in getting older and wiser is this:

Before when I used to get upset about certain situations, work, relationships, etc., I would leave.

Now, I know enough to wait it out and see what happens.

Ultimately it works itself out.

I just need to learn to breathe through it.

The way we tell who needs more sleep in this household is by judging the amount of "puff" under our eyes.

TJ will say "I'm not tired, I don't have any puff under my eyes."

Or I will ask if I look tired. "Yes, Mama. You have puff under your eyes. You need to go back to bed."

Today, the eye puff factor is high.

John: TJ, I am going to read you a story without a book before you go to bed.

TJ: Tell me the story about Ali and Bebe turning into dinosaurs.

Pause.

TJ: No. That would be too scary.

Sometimes when I am shopping for fun (clothes, make up, shoes, etc.) I end up buying more than one, to make the average price of my purchases go down.

Massage at 10.
Lunch to go.
Homemade Shelby chocolate cupcakes.
A walk in the park.
Dinner at Tini's.
Dessert and drinks at Local 121.
Home by 10.

Suddenly, TJ has turned into a tattletale. Happened today. It's kind of funny, the way he does it.

"I'm telling!" he says and then turns to me and says whatever just happened, even if I just saw it happen. "Mama, Julia pushed me!" or whatever other atrocity happens, he lets me know.

He even tattled on John for tattling on him.

"Mommy, Daddy's tattling on me."

We're going to have to have to nip this one in the bud.

Turned 40.

Got a book reader.

Cool gift.

Someone told me today that I had a big phone.

Duh.

One of the super exciting things about it is that I can log on to the library and check out books and download them immediately. For free.

Trying to figure out the best way to keep a list of the books I have read. I may just have an entry here and go back and edit it each time I read another one.

I read a lot.

I'm not that good at keeping lists.

But maybe it would help prevent me from getting the same book as before, which I often do. I end up checking out the same book from the library multiple times, because I do judge a book by its cover.

May have accidentally had beer only for dinner tonight.

TJ tells me today "There are two bosses at my school. Mrs. W and me."

Leaving Chelo's tonight, Julia says "Bye bye eat."

Finally bought the Alien perfume I have been coveting as a 40th birthday present to myself. Ended up going to this crazy event to get it - the guys at the perfume section at Macy's wouldn't let me just buy the perfume on Monday. They told me I had to pre-buy it and then come to the event - "free gifts and a supermodel!" they told me.

I dressed up a little, just in case I got discovered. It was a nice event, the supermodel was a guy, which I wasn't expecting, but didn't mind. He told me that he was in one of the Terminator movies. I didn't want to get my photo taken with him, but I did let him give me an autographed photo, on which he wrote "Keep Smelling Good" or something to that effect.

Looking at the ad copy on my perfume box - and I quote..."...Alien Liquer de Parfum is aged in oak casks to reveal a rich and sensual fragrance with woody amber notes that are subtly almondy. Do not drink."

Ooooo and there is a secret code to register on the inside of the package! I did it and and I got sucked into a marketing website.

But I do have to say, after looking at that site, Thierry Mugler has some cool stuff. And I smell good.

I noticed some new wrinkles on my face today, in a spot I didn't even know existed.

I am a currently am a little too obsessed with getting the crevices of my jacuzzi tub clean.

So much so that I came home today from Walgreens with purchases to include: denture cleaner; oxy clean; bleach.

Last night I had bubbles at least four feet high in the tub, trying to get it clean with dishwashing detergent. I think I was supposed to use the powdered dishwasher kind. Thanks for being clear, google.

The mix today worked better than anything has so far. There were actually some chunks of gunky gunk that came out.

Now I am trying to figure out how to undo the filter to see what lurks in there.

Maybe this isn't the best idea for me, who skeebs out when I find one of my own hairs on the bathtub.

I better think this one through.

The Almost Moon - Alice Sebold
Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

If you are planning a 50th wedding anniversary and are not sure how to make it fun and memorable, hire a polka band.

THEY ARE SO NICE

That’s what everyone says about our parents.

They are nice. It’s the truth.

They are generous, happy, loving people.

They taught us what is most important in life – family and working hard.

When we were growing up, they were always active, playing tennis, skiing or going for walks and Volksmarches. They both worked their way through college later in life. As we got even older, their hobbies turned into golf and going on vacations. They had the time of their life on a trip to Italy, but they also love to have a good old fashioned party, closer to home at the Italian Camp or Stanley’s.

That sense of easy adventure and fun is an admirable trait in both my mom and my dad and something that I believed helped get them here, to their 50th year anniversary.

They both strived hard and worked together their whole lives to get where they are today.

They were in their early 20s when they first met. They have grown from their dating years, to husband and wife, to a nurse and a grave digger slash drummer in a band, to Realtors, to the involved commercial realtors that they still are today. Very active in the community and with their friends and family. They are parents, friends, a brother and a sister, an outlaw, an uncle and an aunt, and they are Ali and Bebe to their grandchildren, Julia and TJ.

A 50 year anniversary is a great feat. It’s romantic and remarkable.

When they were married, 50 years ago in 1959 that was the year that Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th states of America.

It was also the year that our parents officially started their life together.

1959 It was a very good year for unions.

THE TOAST

THEY ARE SO NICE

That’s what everyone says about Ali and Tom.

They are nice. It’s the truth.

Standing here is our mom and dad - a couple that you could never imagine apart.

Our Mom and Dad always tell us they are proud of us but today we would like to say that we are proud of them and lucky to have them in our lives.

Let’s raise our glasses on their 50th wedding anniversary.

I am thinking about going back to work. I would like to go back when Julia is 2.

I am thinking part time would be great, now it's just a matter of finding something that makes it worth my time.

Let the resume sending commence!

You would think, living in New England, that we would have a good, practical, strong, autumn-worthy rake.

Nope. Raked yesterday and all I could find in the garage was a sorry looking metal rake with prongs missing. So disappointing.

I need the mac daddy rake, I'm envisioning dark green hard plastic with a huge, wide, rake bottom.

End up with too many piles of paper on my desk.

I try to keep it somewhat organized but it really doesn't work.

Between part-time job and kids and life and bills and bday cards and things of that nature, it just gets to be too much. What am I supposed to do with the Sony Reader box? John told me I should hold on to it just in case. So it's sitting there. In a pile. And I get thirsty so I drink water and tea. The glasses stay there, they don't go away. What's up with that?

And of course when I sit down to pay bills online, I get sucked into Facebook and other blogs and news sites and my cat has to come and plop down on my keyboard too.

I really need to get a better handle on it. It drives me nuts and is totally inefficient.

Things finally slowing down for us, just in time for the holidays.

We listen to cds in the car. Mostly kid cds, some not.

No matter what it is we are listening to, in those few seconds of silence between songs, Julia will almost always announce "No more!" during the silence.

The way she pronounces it is "no mahh".

Cutest thing ever.

Today in the car, TJ, Julia and I were all yelling "no mahh" when the song ended. It was quite enjoyable.

TJ told John that he was being unrespectable tonight.

There is nothing like that first sip of hot coffee in the morning. Mmmmm mmm.

Poor little Julia had to go to the doctor today.

As soon as we get called out of the waiting room, the memory of the H1N1 shot comes back to her and she starts crying. "No more boo boo," she says, holding her leg.

"No, no," I assure her, "no boo boo. They are just going to look at your thumb."

Doctor comes in. "No boo boo," she tells Julia, "just need to look at that thumb."

She's not sure about it, so consults with another doctor. Talk of scapels and 18 gauge needles ensue.

They try once. Miss the infected part, just blood, can't culture that. Julia is not happy. Slice again. Julia crying and crying, screaming. Not happy.

As we get into the car, she's whimpering still.

Figure McDonalds will be a quick and easy lunch - just around the corner. Put her in the chair, not a high chair, just a regular chair, with her food.

I'm right here, I figure.

Not even halfway through the french fries, BOOM. Face plant onto the hard floor.

Crying and crying.

Get in the car. Get home. Sit down. She comes up to me to give me a kiss, but falters and smashes her face into my knee.

Looks at me and laughs, as to say "what else can possibly go wrong today, mama?"

Just ordered another pair of leggings. Gap.com. If I go into the mall, I will end up spending too much money, so it's worth it to pay for shipping. Although I found a 20 or 25% discount code, which negates the shipping.

Now I just have to figure out how to justify the packaging that it comes in, the box, the wrapping, etc.

It will be recycled, but still, I feel bad about that for the environment.

Forgot to lock the pantry, dogs go into it while I was at the gym. Rottens. They knocked down the double stuffed oreos but left them intact and they were the first thing I saw when I walked into the house.

I only meant to just have one, but it turned into a bad scene.

Julia plays the harmonica like no other 20 month old can.

Why do they even make sweatpants with the elastic bottoms anymore?

Isn't that so 1980?

Often times, when it is just Julia and I she will say the following, because she knows it's just us.

No TJ. (sometimes when looking at the empty car seat next to her.)

No Daddy.

No Mimi.

TJ, sitting in the tub with the shower running too: Mama, look at me! I'm taking a shower and a bath at the same time.

Mama: Wow! What's that called?

TJ: Fun!

Pomplamoose

All the Single Ladies

Which led me to Expiration Date

Which I thought was great...

I am sure there are more too.

I decided I am going to find a part-time job in Community Relations.

A half day for TJ makes for a long day for Mama.

When I grow up and get a kitchen where people can sit and eat and someone else can cook and talk to the eating people at the same time, I am going to have #1. a big honking food processor and #2. a Kitchen-Aid mixer and #3. a dishwasher that doesn't take 4 hours to run. \

And clean counters, free of clutter.

Amen.

We don't let the kids watch too much tv. One show a day, if even. More if it's an emergency. Nothing crazy, Sesame Street, Dora, Diego, Madagascar, and that's pretty much the gamut.
TJ likes it, so does Julia. It probably averages out to way less than an hour a day.

At 4 years old, TJ will still watch Sesame Street, which I absolutely love. Julia watches it too, she loves I-ya (Elmo).

Today I put on the one where Bob has a deaf niece for them, knowing that we will be with Bebe and his hearing aids soon.

Later on, with John, TJ is trying to do the sign language alphabet.

He also asks John "where do we get words from?" which leads into a big conversation about ancestors and history.

TJ announced all day "This is going to be the best Thanksgiving ever!" and it turned out to be a great day.

During the meal, we were trying to decide who was going to say grace, and I appoint TJ. "In the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit, God is great, God is good, let us thank him for this food. In the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit, amen."

After we had our bellies filled with delicious food, a jam session ensued in the basement with the boys and me,at TJ's urging - "c'mon! We are going to have a polka band in the cellar!" We jammed on the piano, bongos, recorders, trombone and drums. We sounded great, especially with Uncle Gary leading us on the piano. A little bit downhill when that wasn't happening, but still a fun time.

I often give the kids frozen waffles for breakfast. Quick, easy, they like them.

I buy any kind - the organic ones, the well-known brand, the generic brand, homestyle, multigrain. I try to keep away from ones shaped like things or that are too amusing, because it is my thought that the kids will always want that kind.

The other day at Dave's, they were 2 for $5 so I bought a whole variety of different ones than I usually do - chocolate chip, blueberry, strawberry frozen waffles.

TJ looks at me and says "How many other cool waffles are there that I have not seen?"

TJ had two eyelashes on his face, so he got to make two wishes.

Wish 1. To go visit Auntie KK again.

Wish 2. To go to Las Begas.

TJ loves to draw.

He draws now, on his own. Real things, not just shapes and scribbles. People and family and houses.

He drew a house - a square with a tiny little triangle on the top left corner for the roof. He colored it pink and yellow and black and drew some pink dandelions in the front. He then proceeded to draw eight snakes onthe side of the house,

He is naming them all and having me spell out the names.

The one snake is called Briedy.

The two snake (that's how TJ says second) is Fruity.

The three one is called Bear.

The four one is called Hair.

I think we skipped five.

The six one is called Everyone.

The seven one is call Treats.

The eight one is called Hots.

At one point, I wasn't responding quickly enough with the letters for his writing down of the names and he said "I've been standing here for hours, man." Which he then told me he got from Gloria in Madagascar.

He then proceed to add in baby snakes.

Choops is the only baby one he named.

He is telling me tricks on how to write numbers. "Make an S, and please don't wait, go right back and that's an 8."

Julia is so into brushing her teeth.

She found one of the electric kid's toothbrush - Pooh Bear style - and loves it.

She brushed her teeth for about 10 minutes this morning. She comes up to me with the toothbrush, says "help Mama" and makes the sign for help until I turn it on for her.

Now she is walking around with the Tigger one saying "TJ" (sounds like TT) at the stairs, because she wants him to use it.

My good friend Lana sent me a warm, drinkable present from NYC. Tea and hot cocoa because when she was my neighbor, she would stand outside my window and yell "Do you want me to come in for some tea?"

I never said no.

Today I made myself a cup of the present - a spiced hot cocoa from The Chocolate Bar.

I couldn't figure out all day why this song was running through my head over and over..."on the good ship, Lollipop, it's a sweet trip to the candy shop..."

When finally it hit me...Happy landing on a chocolate bar.

Which is where the hot cocoa is from.