A New 'Do

I got a wild hair...or should I say I got rid of a few wild hairs - Ha! Anyway, I got thinking about going shorter to have a more professional image. I have been watching a bit of 'What not to Wear' and 'How to look 10 years Younger' and a gal at work just got hers cut short and I really have been liking it.

I was thinking of going to my regular guy at Hair Cuttery and I decided to go to a real salon. I called my good friend Chris and told her I was ready for a 'big girl cut' and asked her for her gals name and number. She fit me in that day and the rest as they say is history.

I have never spent more than $20 for a cut in my life before and this was four times that after buying products and a tip. The gals name is April - she is from New York City and is that classic New Yorker - she was more excited than I about my big change. She is trying to talk to me into caramel highlights for next time, we will see. I am pretty happy about my home color and the price is sure affordable.

One step towards the new me. I am happy with the change and so is Mike, and the people at work were freaked - I haven't had that many people visit my desk ever. I have basically wore my hair the same way for the 16 years I have worked there, so they were pretty surprised. Same for Mike although I did warn him before I got home. Also, he has always like bangs on me so he is a happy guy.

Stay tuned for more changes. I feel ready and empowered for some reason.

Crazy 8s

Crazy Eights
One of my favorite bloggers Lisa had this posted today. Join in if you want to play. It's always fun to find this stuff out about others (and yourself!)

8 Things I Am Looking Forward To:

1} Our pool being clean
2} My mom being 100% healthy again
3) Seeing Jamie get more grown up
4) Taking Jamie to England
5) Retiring someday
6) Going to Michigan (maybe this summer)
7) Swimming
8) Getting smaller


8 Things I Did Yesterday:

1} Downloaded photos
2} Worked
3} Saw my mom
4} Did a load of laundry
5) Kissed my daughter and my husband
6) Lost my temper with my daughter and my husband and my mom
7) Felt guilty for losing my temper
8) Did 3 blog posts in one day!

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:
1}Travel whenever I wanted ($ and Time being no object)
2}Get and stay skinny
3}Be more patient
4}Be more compassionate and nuturing
5}Make a huge amount of money quickly and legally
6} GIve more money to my mom and to charity
7} Keep my house tidier
8} Play instruments & sing

8 Shows I Watch:
1)Rescue Me (Yay the new season just started!)
2)Big Bang Theory - hilarious
3)Jon and Kate plus 8 (I know she is a b*tch - I like her anyway)
4)Californication (Who knew David Duchovney could be so sexy?)
5)New Adventures of Old Christine (Julia is just as funny as she as on Seinfeld)
6)Rules of Engagement
7)Dexter (all comedies up to here, and yes this show about a serial killer is a bit of a dramedy)
8)10 years younger
9)What not to wear ( I have learned alot from these two shows - Update to come)
10)The News - Today show in the morning and local news at night (oops thats more than 8!)

Join in if you want to play - I won't be tagging anyone, it's too much like homework that way, but leave a comment if you are participating on your blog, it's fun to see your answers too. Happy weekend!

Cute Britches

Jamie fought me tooth and nail twice on wearing these pants, but this time despite her protests she kept them on to go to school. Look at that pose. Right when we got to shcool, the first person to see her- one of her favorite teachers said "Cute Britches Jamie!".

Now they are a favored item of her wardrobe, even if they are not a dress.

Out on our porch in her baby swing.

Mysterious Red blotches

Anyone see anything like this before? I was worried, then the next day at school the teacher had the director call me and tell me that Jamie was very tired out and not herself that day. I almost took her to the dr but she seemed fine the 3rd day. Anyone have a clue?

More Spring Clean out & Distracted Parents = Bad Parents

Over the winter our glass patio table got knocked over by the wind and the glass went into the pool. Murphys law I guess. Anyway we knocked around ideas the rest of the winter on how to get that glass out and when it came down to it someone just had to get in there and dive for it.

So the other day despite the non hot temperatures of the water or the air I went for an early dip. Yes me, Mike cannot tolerate the cold water, and I did grow up in Michigan after all. 74 degrees was about as hot as most of the lakes got to anyway that I grew up swimming in.

Anyway, Jamie was so excited despite us both telling her she couldn't swim...guess you know where I am going with this...We let her sit at the steps during the task. Mike would take the full dustpan when I scooped it out and hand me an empty one and dump the full one and so on...One of the times I came back up and Jamie was bobbing in the water, only the top of her head was visible.

We were both pretty freaked out...make that all three of us were freaked out.

We need to get that girl into swimming lessons and get her swimming this summer without fail.

Big smiles in college yearbook equal long marriages

This recent study shows those who have Big smiles in their college yearbooks have happy long marriages. Those with forced or weak smiles are more likely to divorce.

While looking at the two before adoption photos I chose for yesterdays post I got to thinking that this child is smiling bigger and more often now so we must be doing something right. Hope we can keep it going until she is in college so she can smile a big one and have a happy marriage and life. We love this child so!

Sweet kitties but sharp claws

Truman Minnie and Spicy are a year old now and all sweet kitties. Just in the last couple of weeks they have all gotten very affectionate and are a joy to be around. No elimination issues, no fighting and hissing, and Minnie even spent part of the night with me last night in bed. I couldnt do that with my other three until they got much older as they would get too crazy and wake me during the night.

I made the decision not to declaw them and am glad I didn't. They haven't destroyed anything, they choose to scratch on things that don't matter. One of the things they use is 3 of those foam letter mats we have in front of our entertainment center. Yes they are ruining them but it's ok. Small price for them not to ruin couches and carpets.

It is a bit difficult to clip their nails, none of them like it, but tolerate it better now then they did as kittens. I have been tempted to get the pet nail filer that they have been advertising so much on tv - the Pedipaw or the Peticure; but when I looked up reviews on the net I saw that I was better off with the Dremel - the authentic filing tool that those commercialized products are copying.


I don't know how well it will work for them yet. I am in the asimilation phase now. I am keeping it next to me and turning it on and letting them sniff it and get used to the noise and have touched Truman's claws to it a couple times. I will buy some cat treats and treat them when they let me use it. Hope it goes well. I don't think the clipper is a good idea anymore.

Before the adoption

I am on my old laptop today, Mike bought some software called PC cleanup in hopes I would start using this laptop again instead of the new one that is his. (I am not sure how successful that has been yet). Anyway I don't have any of my newer photos at my disposal so here are a couple from before we officially adopted Jamie.

That one photo of her in the stroller with the Stuffed Drop of blood (yes isn't that adorable - Awww cute little droplet of blood) from the Florida Blood alliance brings back memories. At her 12 month check up there was concern that her head had increased in size more than it should have so they wanted her to have a MRI. But because she wasn't officially our daughter we couldn't ok any use of sedation, not that I would have wanted to do that anyway. So I got Jamie up at 5am and took her there and we timed it so she would be sleepy for her morning nap. Then I laid across her and recited 'Goodnite Moon' til she nodded off, and they wheeled the table under the MRI. It took a few tries but we were able to get a good test. And it turned out negative for anything- I think they were looking for Hydrocepholus or water on the brain. Scary times. That month we also found out that her case was heading for an adoption date as the parental rights were termnated. Jeesh that was an emotional time.

Benji doesn't sound like he looks

Benji Hughes was on Jimmie Kimmel live one night, and he came on stage all looking like a motorcycle dude and was I surprised that I like him, he sounded nothing like he looked - no Skynerd riffs, or guitar hero solos. He's kind of Leonard Cohen mixed with melody and weirdness and I am stuck on him. I ordered his CD within a week of listening to the free mp3 I found online.

Take a listen if you have a mind to. His Myspace page has streaming audio of four of his songs which come from his 25 song new LP 'A Love Extreme'. I like 'You Stood me Up' and 'WHy do these Parties always End the Same Way?'. Brings me back to my crazy singledom days.

Easter fun

This has been a fun week despite Mommy being under the weather. We did an easter egg hunt last weekend and again at school on Thursday then again today. Also today we went to a 2nd Easter gig where we missed the hunt, but they had pony rides, face painting and a Bounce house that looked like a pony. I even bounced. And oh boy, that is much harder than it looks!

I need a new 'Sports Bottle'

If you know me IRL you know I am seldom without my Water bottle. I have lost/wore out/left behind my last couple of them that I have used for years. I just can't find any new ones. The only ones I can find on the internet are promotional where you have to order at least 200 or so. Anyone know where I could buy just one? I like one just like this picture, with the straw and the foam insulation. Even more important since the recent news about drinking out of the plastic water bottles can be bad for you.

I think I might be better looking in individual gift guides for colleges or companies, but jeesh where?

Our 2 day getaway

We did Animal Kingdom Thursday morning, but we left the camera behind in the hotel so I dont have pictures yet. We bought a film throw away, I need to finish the roll and take it to be developed yet. The old fashioned way sure isn't convenient!

Jamie didn't like Animal Kingdom that mcuh. Well she like it at first. We did the Lion King show and it had trapeze monkeys and singing and dancing, then she got to meet Mickey Mouse and get his autograph, both of which she loved. It went downhill from there.

A Bugs LIfe was a 3D show and she didn't like it, in fact was a bit scared, the Nemo show was boring, and then we went on a Safari which was pretty cool- real lions and elephants and ostriches, not too far from the vehicle that took us through. But the final ride before going back to the hotel for lunch and our nap was one of those river raft water rides. Some man told me they give you ponchos in that line and then you toss them off after the ride ends. Well he was wrong. I got drenched...DRENCHED! and Mike and Jamie got wet too. She cried and screamed. Not so much fun mom.

So anyway, after our nap a Good time was had by all. She does love seeing the Princesses! ANd the parade (with Princesses and more) and of course Small World, and the Mad Tea cup ride. She was so fearless wehn we went in November, this time she cried several times (or cried out would be a better way to describe it). Even the roller coaster she couldn't wait to ride, she cried on and didn't want to ride again.

On the Mad Tea Cups there was this family they let stay on for at least 3 cycles while news cameras were videoing them from the ride and the sidelines. I think it was a football player, but Mike said they said it was just a family. (he asked)

The water park was alot of fun, we will be doing that again and again as with the Magic your way passes, you get Free water park admission for as many days as you buy to go in the parks. We got the 7 day option, we used our 3rd day in the main theme parks on Thursday and Friday was our first day in the water parks.

Then since we were to meet Diana downstate at her house for a few days we snuck in a quick visit with them on the way home.

Lots of fun packed into a 75 hour period. We made some great memories.

Highs and Lows

Well we ended up going to Orlando and had one day in the park and one day in the Water Park. The Dr. had told me they wouldnt be doing the surgery on Mom for at least a couple weeks. Then they changed the plan and decided to do it immediately while we were away.

Mom is fine, they did the Valve replacement surgery Friday and we came home that night so I could see her in recovery. She is moving to a step down room today and is coming along nicely.

Jamie is melting down today I guess from all the excitement - Disney Animal Kingdom Thursday morning (which she didn't like too much - I will explain later) and the Magic Kingdom after our afternoon nap on Thursday nite, which she liked very much. We did one of the Disney Water Parks - Typhoon Lagoon on Friday and came home from there.

So yesterday Mike and Jamie stayed home all day, while I went out and visited Mom at Critical Care. Today we have been up since early in the morning and she is screaming and crying alot. In fact she just went up to her room and shut the door - not quite slamming, but pretty forcefully. Mike just said, "I guess we will be hearing alot of that".

I know she needs to get out and get her wiggles out. I was thinking about a Community Easter Egg hunt in a couple of hours, but is that rewarding bad behavior or is it best for all of us? What do you think?