Friday, January 26, 2007
January 26, 2003
I spent the morning eating frozen cream puffs (my mom said it worked for her!) and walking around the block. My contractions started to become more frequent, so we took a trip to the hospital. The doctor said my contractions were slowing, so we were sent home a few hours later. We picked up some food at Wendy's - cheeseburgers and fries that were slightly stale since it was the middle of the afternoon. Then we went home to watch the Super Bowl to cheer the Bucs to a victory over the Raiders. Since we were on Eastern Time, we ended up going to bed later than usual. Around 1:30 a.m., Anders decided he had enough of the womb and off we went to the hospital!
So tomorrow we celebrate Anders' fourth birthday, with a trip to Rain Forest Cafe for a birthday lunch. I just can't believe how quickly these four years have gone by, and yet it seems that my boys have always been a part of my life.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
I'm so proud...
My high school has been getting lots of press lately, and unfortunately it has been mostly of the negative variety. First, back on January 9, there was a girl fight...with a knife...over a boy. Then, earlier this week it was reported that a longtime teacher stole $16,000 from the prom fund. Way to go, Knights!
Chrissy:
I got to speak to Chrissy for the 3rd time since she's been in Africa. Before she left she basically told me I had to buy a calling card in case I got engaged, and I finally got to use it for that purpose. She is doing well and having a wonderful time with her fiance, Kodjo. She said she is enjoying all of the time that they have together knowing that they will probably never have this much time together again when one or both of them is not working or taking care of children or studying. They still have not heard anything about Koudjo's visa but she is still hoping that they will get word before she leaves at the end of the month. She's going to get to spend 10 days in Romania with her parents before she returns to the US in February. I may call her one more time but I still have a full calling card for Africa so if you want to call her, let me know and I'll email you her new phone number there and the calling card pin.
For thirsty dogs everywhere:
Dog Beer
Summer plans
Monday, January 22, 2007
More Snow Pictures
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Snow Again
Access Still Denied and Other Ramblings
Friday, January 19, 2007
Don't Tell Me Congratulations
Our First Gift
Two of Jon's aunts, Neuza and Lidia, sent us our very first gift. They are on the ball! We were at their house last weekend and they had the most current Vosges catalog. Many of you know this is my favorite place for truffles and if we've ever been downtown in Chicago together I've probably dragged you into the shop. Anyway, the aunts let Rachel and me sample some of the Aztec Elixir Cocoa - what a treat! It is thick and rich and, yes, downright spicy. It was wonderful. So Wednesday night when we walked into Jon's house after work there was a box waiting for us from Vosges with a box of the cocoa and a frothing stick (which I haven't figured out how to use yet, but even if I don't it will make a very handsome decoration). It was also the first time I had seen my name-to-be on anything. I kind of wish I had kept the shipping label from the box.
Here's a picture from Mike & Melissa's wedding last Saturday. One of Jon's uncles kept asking when they were going to get to have a party like that for us and I would just kind of laugh it off. Jon was laughing too, but on the inside, because he knew what he was going to ask me the next day. I never picked up on it. He's a sneaky one.
All of you must try www.librarything.com. You will love it. All you do to create an account is enter a screen name and password on the main page and as long as no one else has the same name, you're golden. Then, just start adding books. You can add by title, author, keyword, ISBN, etc., and LibraryThing searches Amazon, the Library of Congress, and other databases for a match. You can add 200 books for free, an unlimited number for one year for $10, or an unlimited number for life for $25. It's cool because you can see how many other users have the same books, you can sort lots of different ways, you can add tags, you can organize by Dewey, and you can even get it to recommend new books to you based on your library. As you can imagine, this has been quite the time-waster for me over the last couple of weeks.
St. Louis is hosting the MLB All-Star game in 2009.
Embarrassed to be seen in a swimsuit? Try a burkini.
Harper Lee made a rare appearance at an Alabama high school last week.
Tonight should be fun. It's the meeting of the parents...
Friends and Links
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Those Idyllic Moments
Don't we look like quite the little happy family? Taking time out of our schedule to bond in a Texas rarity - a snow day. Playtime in the snow followed by hot chocolate for everyone (warm and in a sippy cup for Sophie). How picturesque and serene, right?
Except that it took us 20 minutes to bundle up, locate gloves and hats, put batteries in the camera and get out the door. And that half of the time we were outside I was trying to captrue the "perfect picture" and the other half of the time I was picking Sophie up off the snowy ground so she wouldn't get frostbite on her little tush. Oh yeah, and I accidentally threw snow in her face. (I'm a terrible mother.) The hot chocolate? Sophie's ended up on her newly changed/dry clothes, onto outfit number 2 for the day and it was only 10 am. Mine was nice and warm, too bad I was already sweating from making the hot chocolate, cleaning up Sophie's spilled hot chocolate, and curbing Sophie's temper tantrum regarding said spilled hot chocolate. This is fun, right?
But I know that in 5 years (maybe even 2) when I look at that picture I won't remember the hustle and bustle, the spilled hot chocolate or the temper tantrum. I'll remember that special morning in the snow with my little family. Totally, totally worth it. (But who knew making memories was so exhausting?)
Monday, January 15, 2007
Something New and Something Blue
Access Denied
In other news:
My sister and her friend ran the Phonenix Rock and Roll Half Marathon yesterday. They did great! In order to watch them, I had to get up at 4:30 in the morning and then wait outside in what turned out to be the coldest morning in Phoenix in 17 years. So although the only running I did was from the parking lot to the finish line, yesterday was exhausting. So I'd like to give a shout out to MLK jr, thanks for getting me the day off today (oh yeah, and Civil Rights).
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Encounter with the past/banana breadsticks/Go Bears!
On another note, I made 4 loaves of banana bread tonight. My youngest asks for it each morning for breakfast, so hopefully this batch will last for a few weeks. Since my little one likes this bread so much, but would like to watch Curious George at the same time instead of eating at the table, I've learned to cut up the bread into "breadsticks". You wouldn't believe how turning things into sticks (such as "pizza sticks") will get the kids to eat them. It's all about the brainwashing.
One last note... we've discovered the best time to visit area museums or downtown Chicago - during a Bears game! We went to Lincoln Park Zoo this afternoon, and it was practically empty. Too bad that doesn't work for other sporting events.
Go Bears!!
Friday, January 12, 2007
The Glass Castle
Monday, January 08, 2007
5 Times A Bridesmaid...
Is This Really Salad?
So awhile ago the Dutch contingent (Wendy, Karna, and Jennifer) all introduced me to a whole different class of salads. Apparently amongst the Dutch and the midwest there is such a thing as a sweet salad. One salad described was so utterly preposterous that I didn't believe in its identity. But today we came face to face.
Yes, Virginia, Snickers salad really does exist. And why it is called the salad, I cannot tell you for there is neither a veggie (unless an apple counts) or dressing (unless vanilla pudding counts) to be seen. But it was in the salad section of the buffet and I'm told it is in the salad section of the church cookbook and we all know those don't lie. So the "salad" consists of pudding, a few chopped apple pieces, and Snickers. Just so you know I'm not lying here is a picture, complete with recipe (note the recipe is under the "outrageous recipe of the month" section).
Just for the record: it was delicious.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
I Should Have Married a Plumber
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Happy New Year!
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Does It Count?
Monday, January 01, 2007
Coming in 2007 (or You Want Links? You Got 'Em)
Books
Forever In Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood
By Ann Brashares
January 9, 2007
The Voice of Matthew
By Lauren Winner
February 6, 2007
Shopaholic & Baby
By Sophie Kinsella
February 27, 2007
Mudhouse Sabbath: An Invitation to a Life of Spiritual Disciplines (paperback)
By Lauren Winner
February 28, 2007
Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith
By Anne Lamott
March 20, 2007
Sisterchicks Go Brit!
By Robin Jones Gunn
March 20, 2007
Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy
By Jane O’Connor
March 27, 2007
The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling
By Neta Jackson
April 1, 2007
By Amy Karol
June 19, 2007
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
By J.K. Rowling
Anticipated July 7, 2007
Olivia Helps With Christmas
By Ian Falconer
October 2, 2007
Chicks With Sticks: Knitwise
By Elizabeth Lenhard
October 6, 2007
Home To Holly Springs (the first in the Father Tim series)
By Jan Karon
Fall 2007
The Solomon Key (working title)
By Dan Brown
Late 2007???
Not Too Late
Norah Jones
January 30, 200
Miss Potter
December 29, 2006
Reign Over Me
March 9, 2007
Spider-Man 3
May 4, 2007
Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End
May 25, 2007
Ocean’s Thirteen
June 8, 2007
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
July 13, 2007
The Simpsons Movie
July 27, 2007
Becoming Jane
August 10, 2007
Happy New Year!