Happy February and Happy Blog Exchange Day!

An Inconvenient Truth

Tell me, have you heard about this film about the
global warming? I think the bloke who did it was
president of America, but I’m not sure. In any case,
much like not reading books, I don’t get to the cinema
that often. However I do like to know a bit about
current events for small chat at fashion shows and the
like.
I’ve been thinking a lot about global warming. I
mean if you consider the impact our move from London
to Spain had on me, I reckon that was a bit like
global warming. Inconvenient indeed considering all
the chinchilla I’ve had to stow for colder weather. I
simply can’t understand a culture that hasn’t a winter
season. I find four seasons open up such a world of
opportunity in accessorising, with shoes alone you’ve
got sling backs for autumn, a right bold pair of open
toe stilettos for summer, and the colours, oh love,
the colors you have to pick from.

We’ve actually been plotting another move for some
time. We’ve so enjoyed our time in Spain, I’ve even
picked up the odd phrase: Dónde Gucci? Where is
Gucci? I also can say: Tienes un Bentley? Have
you got a Bentley? and our boys have certainly
enjoyed it. I must say though that I am rather unfond
of they way they pronounce Romeo in Spain, I mean his
name is Romeo, Roe-Me-Oh, I rather dislike this whole
Roe-May-Oh, it sounds so common. And Cruz, well the
whole Spanish uniqueness of it is bloody well dashed
by being in a place that the people speak Spanish.
Brooklyn is Brooklyn wherever you live, but I fancy
living in LA and having my Brooklyn.

I really do think America is where we need to be. I’ve
been asking about to people to find out the best
neighborhoods and schools, and about the issues. It
will definitely be warmer in LA. Which I suppose, if
it’s already warm, how much warmer could global
warming make it? It’d be rather difficult to warm the
entire globe, but if you did all those people in the
cold countries wouldn’t have the cold anymore, which
might be a good thing. Speaking of which, have you
seen the Gaultier wrap with the screen of the rain
forest. Makes me feel immensely environmental, and
green is a colour I don’t often have a chance to wear.

Isn’t there a green movement? David looks good in
green. Matter of fact his favorite pair of knickers on
me are green, he fancies me a bit of a jungle Jane in
them. Thinking about the whole thing of warming the
globe, we could do a fair amount of good going green.
I am partial to an olive for David and emerald for
myself, forest green is a bit dodgy, even on the kids.
I suppose if global warming does manage to hit LA I’ll
have to ditch the green movement because the Escalade
doesn’t come in green, do you think white counts?


Can you guess who the mystery speaker is? If you can guess Vicky's you can guess this Amanda's. This exceptionally vacuous entry has been guest
authored by Amanda from
Tumble
Dry. If you'd like your daily dose of The Mummy
Chronicles, you'll find Vicky over at
Tumble
Dry. with an equally thought provoking post. This posh
partnership has been brought to you by Kristen, she of
the Blog
Exchange and hell on earth in-laws fame. Thanks
for reading.

Overheards

Nightime, a darkened bedroom. H and I are talking before bed.

Me: You know ever since I started staying home I'm in the car less so I don't listen to NPR as often. I have less time to take in any news. I feel as if I don't know what is going on in the world. I'm writing way more, but that's just it. I'm putting all these words out there and not reading. I'm just barfing words out.

H: Wow, honey, you are so articulate. Barfing words. Amazing.

Just for that I sat down and read two Newsweeks and took in some serious radio news today too. Whew! Was feeling a bit lost there for a bit.

Product of the Week!

The Savannah Bee asks the question, "Don't your hands deserve it?" It being a great hand cream like their beeswax one. I say YES! they do. Having received this cute trial sized container in a gift bag of other Savannah Bee goodies I took my time in actually using the hand cream. Then the dry air of winter settled into my skin and attacked full force. I dug the tiny tub out of the bathroom drawer and tried it out. It works! I now use it daily on my elbows, feet and hands. The light scent works perfectly for me and it goes on smooth. It's not stiff or greasy either like some other beeswax or royal jelly products that are out there. I have since tried other items from Savannah Bee such as the natural lip balm and Mint Julep body lotion all with great success. They are all lightly scented in a sweet tone and truly last. Check out the site today and find some great gift ideas too!

Toilet Blocks-They're All the Rage

Spending time at home with T.D. leaves me with this thought. It's no wonder there are so many momtrepenuers out there these days. Sandwich shape cutters, tagged blankets, and whatever else is now out there all came from stay at home moms. Just yesterday T.D. decided that her new favorite toy is the toilet. Yup. The toilet. Joy, those days are now upon us.

She wants to beat the seat with her hands or preferably a wooden block. It makes such a great loud sound to her. Oh and did I mention that blocks are really fun to throw in the toilet too? Yeah. Oodles. Made me think as I tried to fish the wooden blocks out of the bowl and figure out how to clean these things correctly, disposable blocks perhaps? So cute and squishy on dry land. Foam filled and fun to play with. Dissolves instantly in water. No need to fish them out of the bowl again- just flush away!

Eesh. Quite honestly though I would rather have her doing that all day long than the tantrums she now throws in the carseat. She's ready for an upgrade in her dictator car throne. The big girl carseat is all that will do. That UPS man better get here fast with that thing because I don't think I can take another day of full-volume NPR while she throws all binks, bottles, sippy cups and other objects I use to placate her around the car.

Sick of It!

I've had enough! Enough with the media blitz and the whole issue of the "Mommy Wars". I am even sick of seeing it in quotations like that. Reading through Izzy Mom's post today (and I too call BULLSH*T on all that crap) I just got so irritated with this whole idea of Mommy Wars. Is it real? Do we care? I don't. Not anymore.

What I care about is the judging. You know me, I'm all about that crap. I can't stand it. I loathe when other women sit back on their self-made pedestals and judge other mom's for stupid stuff they know nothing about. To see that piece on the 'Today' show about Mom's who drink during playdates just made me think- do we have nothing better to do? Is that what it really boils down to? This whole Mommy Wars "issue" (heh) is striking me as a bunch of women who might well be "very serious" about motherhood, but also have too much time on their hands and a whole lot up their butts. Stop being so condesending and let people live their lives. If you don't like it don't hang out with those women. Are their kids malnourished? Probably not. Are they wearing the same clothes for no good reason five days in a row? Again, I would say probably not. Then leave that mother alone. And her chardonnay sipping friends too! Let her do what she feels is right for her, her family and her sanity.

Hell, I agree with the women on the MSNBC forum who speak fondly of the days in the 70s when we ALL recall our parents sitting back and 'having a few' with the neighbors. I remember those days fondly too. Mom and Dad were a whole lot nicer to deal with on those firefly-filled evenings outside.

If you find yourself being one of these mom's. The type who likes to engage in the Mommy Wars try engaging yourself elsewhere like the gym, or a local charity. It would make better use of your time and help others in the process. Not to mention a great lesson for the kiddies in health and helping fellow man-kind.

But, that's just my two sense. You don't have to take it. I won't judge you. I just might choose to sit far away from you at the kiddie park though.

Open Letter or End of an Era

It's been one week now that I've been a WAHM. I have to say while it has had it's moments of utter frustration (T.D. not napping, desperately trying to wrestle the keyboard from me to teeth on, etc) and sometimes boredom (T.D. napping and me not wanting to write one more thing) the week was just what I wanted it to be. I've had time to reflect, to write more, to cook some fun and sometimes difficult dishes. I've gone to the gym more and had playdates. My world is a totally different one than it was earlier this month. For that I am glad. I am happy that H and I knew this was what was right for our family.

I'm glad that we both knew that with the onset of my going back to work last spring things quickly weren't working. When the Post-Partum depression hit me in April just after returning to work I tried to maintain our world as much as I could. Many people when depressed find it hard to get out of bed. I went to work each day, sat in traffic and meetings, worked extra when I could. I deserve nothing for this. It's just what I had to do. I gave up precious family time. Yes, precious. We value it above all else obviously or we wouldn't have changed our lives. There is nothing wrong with that. It's not what everyone wants, but it's what we wanted. That alone surprised me. I would never judge anyone for doing what is best for their family or tell them what to do. That is not how I operate. My readers know that.

Leaving my job was a very hard decision for me to make. I never saw myself as a stay at home mother. I liked my job. I liked many of the people that I worked with. If I didn't like you, you knew it. If I didn't agree with something, everyone knew it. I made no bones about it. Ever. Instead of going to work everyday and playing online poker, or taking smoke breaks (which is compeletly fine if that is your thing), getting my frustrations out by yelling loudly at people or punching walls, I chose to write. I openly discussed what bothered me. I talked to others and tried to change things. That was what worked for me.

My readers found my frustrations about work and the new mom juggle amusing and honest. It was easy to write about something I was in at least ten hours a day. Who wants to read about traffic? Then, they turned on me. They screamed at me in all caps to quit my job. To get out of that place. They yelled at me to open my eyes and find an alternative. The negativity of our situation was invading me all the time. The job was no longer a good fit for our new lives. I had to figure something out fast. Again, everyone around me could clearly see that. I quit after months of thinking it over.

It sucks (I'm so eloquent today) that my last few months at my old job were that way. It sucks that while I was always honest about how I felt about situations or dealings at work, people now think otherwise. They feel duped by a psycho they now believe was in their midst. Oh well. So be it. People thought Da Vinci, Michelangleo and Einstein were psycho-crazies. They thought Hitler was a god. I'm no Da Vinci but I am also not killer about to poison the water cooler. It's called a dark sense of humor that is all. I'm fine with people thinking what they think. I know who I am and what I stand for. I don't stand for crap treatment, harrassment sexual or any other type, or favortism. I know life is not fair and this happens everywhere but it doesn't mean one has to take it. I spoke up about it while at work and if you didn't hear me it's because you didn't want to. I don't like negativity and people who choose to stew in their own unhappiness refusing to take charge of the one life they have and pursue what they want really want.

If I liked you and cared about you it was genuine. I was always honest about that. If I didn't like you or felt you didn't like me, I stayed away from you. It wasn't me thinking I was better than anyone. Hell, the blog daily consists of me wondering if I'm doing things right. If you see yourself reflected badly somewhere and feel I was two-faced it might just have been the situation at the time. Either that or you know you are in the wrong and don't like it being in the open. I liked pretty much everyone I worked with or at the very least can say I respected you.

A blog is an online diary a lot of times. A way for many writers to vent. If you don't like this type of blog about parenting, women's issues, products and being a WAHM. Find another blog you like. Get over it. Move on. It's healthy.

That's all.

A Lesson in Blogging

As many bloggers know there are these great little devices that are called site meters. They monitor the site's traffic, statistics, demographics, what have you. Each week a little report is sent to me of condensed information telling me just who my audience is. It gives me such great information such as the date, time, location and email addresses for my audience. I can see that I have readers concentrated in one area and all over the world. I know who is reading it and when. I read this report often. I know when friends say, "I'm reading it!" and they haven't. I know when my Mom reads the blog. As well as anyone else. Anyone who may think they are anonymous and I that I'm in the dark. I know it as soon as you know it.

Lesson concluded.

This, This is Just Disgusting

For the love of... For Pete's sake... I just... I guess it was bound to happen. The ego has officially landed. The following article (linked in title too) is from the 'Sun' out of the UK. It's all about how the man in the photo is the new "Christ" of Scientology. Really? How much more money did he donate to the church than Travolta to get that privledge. I can't say I'm stunned because nothing with this guy suprises me any longer.

Oh Goody!

Saw this story on the news last night and now again this morning.

FDA panel probes birth control pills
The government is considering setting higher standards for birth control drugs used by millions, saying that newer pills appear to be less effective at preventing pregnancy than those approved decades ago.

Fabulous just fabulous. It now makes the story of my friend who got pregnant twice while on the pill seem like not such a freak of nature.

Two Things

I've been reading the book, Julie & Julia and I have noticed two things occuring. One, I am inspired to get back into French cooking which I can only say must be a natural occurence when one reads this book. I like to bake, I don't relish cooking unless it's cooking some big mess that takes all day. That is definetly the case with French cooking. Yesterday, feeling so inspired I set out to make Beef Bourgingnon. Seeing as I am just so boring I can only talk about purses these days and alienate my readers until they become cranky pants. Cranky pants maschoists that is as they still read this tripe. I figured I would set out to make this beef mess that takes about half a day. When it's done it tastes just like a stew that has an entire bottle of burgundy and stick of butter in it should. Divine. While the snow fell I chopped, braised, sauteed and cut up bacon pieces which was very satisfying in a bizarre way.

The only part that made me flinch in the whole ordeal was not the mess of sticky carrot peelings stuck to the sink as if they were adhered with super glue, but the words in the recipe that said, "pour in brandy, stand back, throw lit match in pot. Umm.... ok. We are literally playing with fire here. T.D. is in her highchair across the room. Check. Batten down the hatches. This might get a bit scary. I re-read the whole "stand back" part and thought, "here goes! Let's hope H doesn't come home to a charred out pile of rubble that at 7 a.m. was his home." I took out the torch thingy we use to light the grill. In retrospect not the best tool. Should have found a small matchstick. Not a torch. Lessons learned. I do still have all my eyebrows thank you. So I lit the freakin' pot on fire. Whoa! The whole thing flamed up a nice orange flame of about a foot high and then just kept going. And going. I looked at the cookbook in a panic- WHAT DO I DO AFTER I "stand back and throw in said match?!" It says nothing. I stirred the firey mess with a spoon. A wooden spoon. Then I realized wood and fire? Not such a great combo. At least I didn't add melted hot magma plastic to the beef mess too. Funny, I felt just like Julie Powell, the author of Julie & Julia must have felt while she was cooking some of these same dishes. In the end it came out wonderfully and there was not an ounce of charred wood taste to the dish.

The second thing I found while reading this book is that this whole blog thing for Julie back in 2002, practically the dawn of the blog, is that it was a project with a purpose. One that would eventually come to a hopefully conclusive end. It made me wonder what my project is and would there be an end to this blog. In a sense it is changing. The blog is in a transition period. It cannot be the same type of content as I no longer work in an office where assclowns perform daily antics whether I want them to or not. Let's face it it was a no brainer for writing. It will take me a bit to find my way I suppose and maybe I'll figure out some project. For now though I have more vacuums to write about and now some pretty damn stimulating ceiling medallions. I know. Fascinating stuff indeed.

And if you don't like purses then you would never understand that last post so bite it "Anonymous".

Quest

Something you might not know about me is that I'm a huge purse fiend. I am not ashamed to admit it. I simply love them. I am picky, but there is almost no end in how often I could shop, browse, buy and just love on purses of all varietys. Save for the hideous patchwork Coach knockoff that 'Ugly Betty' carries around with her, and the actual patchwork Coach bag itself, I love most purses. That bag though is seriously ugly. I remember this one purse I had as a little kid. It was black patent leather, in style yet again, and it had three detachable decorative patent leather flowers. One in matching black patent, the other shiny red, and the last one being white. I hate the white one for some odd reason and I enjoyed chewing on the red one. I was three leave me alone! It was my first taste of purse love, literally.

The Holy Grail of purses to me is the uber-sleek Kelly bag, by Hermes. It retails upwards of 5K and I adore it. I want one in the worst way and no knockoff will do. Will I ever own it? Perhaps. If I get a book deal one day or H becomes a Trumpesque mogul maybe I will. It is almost a constant that I have some purse love going on in my brain somewhere on any given day. That is why I realized today that I am hopelessly ill-equipped now that I'm home with T.D. NO bag I currently have in my possesion will do for our daily outings. My normal medium-sized loveies are just too small now to fit the gym water bottle, pacifier, Ipod, wallet, the ever present mom pack of tissues, pen, keys, and oh yeah cell phone. Did I mention that sometimes I might have to add a book, magazine or actual T.D. possessions in there? Yup. So I need a bigger bag. The quest is on! The search for the Goldilocks of everyday bags is in open season. I am all ears to suggestions of grandeur and the average. What works for you? Why do you love your every day bag? Tell me!

The Product of the Week!

This weeks product is...Christian Diorshow Mascara! I received a sample of this little beauty a few weeks back and seeing as I loathed what I was using at the time, that tried and true pink and green tube of gunk, I decided to give Diorshow ($23) a whirl. Why not? It was free!

All I can say is, 'Oh my!' I love it! Love, love, love it! It comes in three fab colors of basic black, chestnut and azure blue. I have the black. This mascara does not clump. It goes on smooth and doesn't break. It's not waterproof so watch out if you are prone to tearing up. It has a pleasant light rose scent too which I've never noticed in a mascara before. It's kind of nice. I glide this stuff on each morning before heading out and it keeps my lashes looking long, intensified, ultra glamourous and curled all day. InStyle Magazine choose it as a personal fave in its January 2006 issue. I would run to your nearest Dior counter to check it out.

Dang Blasted Snow

Did I mention that I like snow? I truly do. It's beautiful, clean, and softens the sounds around you. Snow melts though and it also half melts. That's what I'm dealing with now. Half melted snow that has turned my front yard into an icy slick landscape. Perfect for slipping and banging my head on the concrete steps rendering me unconcious. That hasn't actually happened but it almost did this morning.

Another thing about snow is that it can tell a story. A story about how at some point someone walked up to my front window and looked inside and then walked back out of my yard. Creepy. That was NOT there yesterday afternoon. My yard was untouched then. A chill hit me on my spine when I saw that and it wasn't because H's 'Wicked Pissah' shirt was not warm enough.

My first day as a WAHM is over and done with. It was tiring in an all together different way than a day at the office can be. I was physically tired after putting T.D. to bed. No more stressed, sucky commute tired. We were busy all day it seems. Playdate and breakfast in the a.m. with other SAHM's. I ate my fill of sausage and waffles to be sure. If that keeps up on a regular basis I'll be sporting tropical muu-muu's by May. I actually organized some disasterous kitchen areas and even found time to make a card. Yeah, that's right. You read that correctly. I made a card yesterday. I'm crafty! Who knew!

The day went well but was a total fish out of water feeling. I noticed that I'm less prone to quickly flaring up with anger and impatience already. When I opened the sunroof by accident yesterday while trying to turn on the overhead light in the car slushy snow fell all over me and the front seat. I did not scream with anger. I screamed with extreme shock. The cold slushy mess was now no longer on the roof of my car, but sitting in my lap. It was only later that I screamed with anger when I realized the slush was rapidly melting in my purse all over my cell phone and Ipod. By the time I got home the slushy snow had melted in my lap completely leaving me with that it's so cold it burns feeling on my thighs and just mildly looking like I just peed myself. Lovely.

Day One

Winter has finally wrapped us up in its white blanket. I could barely contain my excitement yesterday over the years first snowfall. The further we drove into Virginia the harder the snow came down. I spent many minutes yesterday just staring out the window with T.D. showing her her first snowfall. Today it's already melting but I don't care. I love the tranquility and ease that snow provides. I love that I didn't have to shovel it off my car at 5 a.m., slipping on icy patches as I hurry to scrape thick ice off the car and get to work on time. Insert EVIL laugh there as it makes me positively giddy quite frankly.

When I woke up this morning it was 6:41 a.m. I'm normally at work at this time. I can't say it felt like I was doing something wrong, but things did feel a bit off this morning. It will definetly take me a while to get used to this new life. So far though it's not half bad. Listening to Imus while perusing yesterday's paper while T.D. arms the kitchen with a brigade of tiny tub toys and flings Sunday fliers around the room is just fine with me. Right now there is no rush and I like that. I need that.

Like last April when I began this blog about new motherhood and the crazy ups and downs parenting provides I'll continue to write about the daily life of being a WAHM. I think this is a new book, not just a chapter in my life beginning. To say I'm excited is beside the point. I'm elated and I honestly didn't think I would be to this degree. Now when my teething dictator wakes up and refuses to do anything but rub snot on me I'm sure I'll have a slightly different attitude.

Tagged!

I've been tagged by Stephanie from 'Where in the World'. How does it work? I reveal five things I've never posted on the blog before. That's hard for me as I have no qualms telling almost anyone deep details and squeamish points in my life.

1. I, like Stephanie, did not have a middle name at birth. I chose it when I was 14 and now it's legal.

2. I won the spirit stick at cheer camp. I know. People wonder why I like 'Bring it On' so much.

3. I see dead people. Go ahead and call me a freak but anyone who is around me long enough knows it's true. H likes the show 'Medium' because he "identifies" with the husband Joe.

4. I used to be a Republican. A rabid one with pictures of George Bush Sr. and Dan Quayle in my Jr. High locker.

5. I have a sick and sometimes all consuming love for extra-cheese pizza.

Enthralling I know. Riveting as always, those are my five things.

Now I'm tagging Diane from Diane's Rantings, Sarah from Hollywood Flakes, and Tammie from Soul Gardening.

Interesting Tid Bit

A while back some of you might remember my scathing commentary on a Ms. Regan. Shortly afterwards it was announced by NewsCorp that she was fired. Tsk Tsk. Now this little news story came out. I feel for the underlings but still. Justice perhaps?

*Click on the title to view story.

Random Points and Well, Not Points

1. I am not cool enough, nor will I ever be cool enough to refer to cigarettes as "soldiers".

2. If cigarettes didn't cause imminent death and a slow one at that I would smoke about 5 packs of clove cigs a day. Slowly, in a long holder. And quickly, inhaling deeply while cooking. Gross no? Mm... smoking. I miss thee.

3. If I had the time and money I would go back to dance class and take ballet and jazz all over again. Repeatedly about 2-3 times a week. I miss it so much.

4. Why did Brad Pitt look like a Madame Tussaud wax figure that got dumped off at the Golden Globes last night? Furthermore, why did Angelina Jolie look like a haggard, chain-smoking, wispy haired housefrau sitting next to him?

5. They like me! They really like me! There is a really nice turnout for my goodbye lunch at work. My cube is empty and the grey carpeted walls are looming large.

6. Lindsey Lohan is dating Joe Francis? What is wrong with her mother? What is wrong with her? I can't even begin to talk about what is wrong with Joe Francis.

7. I'm in love with the show, 90210, High Maintenance and I don't care who knows it. Those people are freaks and it's freakin' fabulous!

8. I dreamnt the other night that T.D. died because I knew she was seriously injured but I toted her to meeting after meeting with me until she died. H had to wake me up as I was crying in my sleep. When I got to work later I thought- WTF I quit my job why did I dream that?!

9. Another year has passed and I still hate Dick Cheney.

10. I'm addicted to finding people's gift registries and analyzing them. Does their choice in flatware really represent them as a couple? What does it say about their future? I don't know why I do it - it bores even me sometimes.

Without a Doubt

When I first went back to work it was not easy by any means. The grueling schedule, getting T.D. to adjust to a new daily life, and the juggling act all exhausted everyone in our household. I wrote about how worried I was about her being in daycare and just the sheer fact that it wasn't H or me who would be with her all day long.

Now that the journey through daycare is coming to a close I know without a doubt that we did the right thing in choosing that particular center. It really was just a feeling in the beginning that she would be in capable hands. They had plans for any type of disaster, natural or otherwise and they served healthy foods. It was clean and the children looked happy. And clean.

Over the year we found that the staff is truly genuine and caring. They work hard each day to make sure the children know they are loved. T.D. was always happy when I picked her up and she thrived while there. They did a fabulous job of keeping her on our schedule and doing that with all the infants. That is no easy task! Our wishes and how we wanted her raised was what mattered. It really hit me though last Friday afternoon when I picked her up. As I gathered up her stuff to leave for the day various teachers said goodbye to her using their own pet names for T.D. Lil' Bit and Bottomless Pit the most common. These are not infant teachers either but ones from various classrooms that she does not go to. They make it a point to know each child. As we left the building I saw that it was raining a bit and I covered T.D. with my coat. One teacher stepped out and said, "Here, I'll walk you to your car with my umbrella. We don't want T.D. getting wet." It was a sweet gesture and she held that umbrella over us both as I wrangled the ever-independent T.D. into her carseat. As this teacher started to walk back to the building she turned and said with a smile, "We are sure going to miss her. We sure will."

I knew without a doubt that we had chosen a good place for our little dictator's first year. She was happy and safe. She loved those women and her little friends and vice versa. It makes me sad that there are people out there who think that children in daycare are starved for attention and put in a corner neglected. I know not all places are as wonderful as ours, but that doesn't mean across the board all centers suck. Nor does it mean I have not developed a relationship with my child because she was in daycare or that she is loved any less. That is a load of crap.

I hope that someone reads this today and knows that they are doing the right thing if they are putting their child in the care of another. As long as it's been researched and the parents feel good about the place it's fine. It's what has to be done more often than not. Believe me some days I've felt that she has gotten more attention in daycare than at home because I'm trying to vacuum or simply take a shower.

Fun Find!

Recently I came across this website and I thought- ooh how fun! So I wanted to share it. It's called Money Solution. This little website is a creation of DivaVillage, a site where you can find beauty, fashion and health advice.

Money Solution is a shopping site that claims, "there's always a sale somewhere." It has many categories to shop in such as, clothes for everyone in your family, recreation and sporting goods, jewelry and even electronics. I happened to find a very cute Lodis clutch from Nordstrom while perusing the website.

What Money Solutions does is take you to other sites where the goods actually are, but what they offer in consumerables are really quite a nice, quality selection. They have Lacoste, Sony, Hasbro toys, and even Juicy Couture items. It's worth the trip even if you just want to browse for a while.

Could it Be?

I joined a playgroup this week. Sight unseen. I don't even know where a playground is in my area. My reasoning though was this: T.D. seemed awful lonely the third day she was home from daycare during the holiday break and I know I'll be awful lonely staying home soon too. It will be nice to get out and meet the locals and find kid-friendly places to do things with other Mummy's.

However, I always swore I would never join a playgroup. The sheer idea of it making me cringe as I think of white keds and "mom jeans". I know I'm stereotyping hardcore there. I have no real basis for this either it's just an idea I've devised in my head. Now however with endless winter days lying in front of me with no plans other than the gym and it's playroom and me cramming work time into T.D.'s nap zones I figured what do I have to lose? I'll meet other Mom's in the area, find new resources, and make some new friends (I hope) in the process. Plus, T.D. will continue to be socialized. I do love when I walk into daycare and she is happily chatting with her friends over an activity table. Watching them converse in their own language that they both seem to understand is pretty damn cute.

So off I go into uncharted waters again. Hell, I moved across country once without knowing a soul or having a job, I can go to playgroup Monday morning. I'm getting really excited about this new venture as a whole.

Product of the Week!

I absolutely love finding funky, hip baby clothes for T.D. I can't get enough of them. When I say that I mean it- no one buys them for her! So it's up to me to find great online stores such as this one, Psycho Baby. But, Psycho Baby sells more than just clothes. They have great Melissa and Doug toys, (a T.D. favorite, as who can resist wooden sushi sets?) Ugly Dolls, books, CD's, furniture and decor. There are some seriously cute accessories waiting for you too. I'm in love with the Me In Mind skull booties ($24) among about a million other items.

The Psycho Baby website has gift ideas starting from $25 and under all the way up to some major splurges. They sell tons of unique, electic baby gear such as high chair covers, bath items, and even pink cowgirl rain boots! There are many categories to check out and lots of trendy designers to become acquainted with. Psycho Baby is not just for babies either but for children up to 8 years in age. If you want to bring a more edgy gift to your next baby shower or simply want your tot sportin' some seriously cool gear check out Psycho Baby NOW!

P.S. Yes, Psycho Baby even appeals to the girlier side of me with it's Eebo Flowers Tot Tower or Haba Blossom Flower Pacifier Chain. Too cute!

Is it just me?

Is it just me or is Nicole Richie beginning to look a bit Steven Tyler-esque?

Thunk! Thunk! Thwack!

That is the sound of my head hitting my desk repeatedly. Why? Because I just read an "article" on Paris Hilton running out of gas. Seriously? Dear God in heaven how does she sustain air in her lungs each day? How does she possibly locate her car keys, get behind a wheel and physically drive and not know that you have to put gas in a car to make it go vroom vroom?!?

Her excuse is that it's a new 2007 Bentley and she's just never put gas in it and doesn't know where the "gas thingy" (a direct quote) is. Nor does she know how to find her ass from her elbow I'm sure. I MEAN COME THE F ON! I'm not even going to get into how she had the paparazzi pump her gas and threw him a $20 thinking that would cover it. That doesn't even fill the tank on my '98 Corolla.

The dumb act is dead. I'm declaring it dead right now. That's it. 2006? The year of the dumb starlet. Fine. 2007? NaNoMoDumbStarlet. Not ok. Not ok at all. If you are actually smart, show it! Don't just talk about how you are smart and then act like just another stupid girl.

Blech.

Now Back to Your Normally Scheduled Program

The saga continues. The I'm quitting my job saga. Ok, not really. What I've found in the last few days since my clearly unsurprising announcement is a nice sense of peace. Contentment if you will. A state of zen I haven't had since oh say, maternity leave? That and the people in my office are incredibly nice and supportive about it all.

It's not just that I'll be staying home with T.D. teaching her shapes, colors, words, and how to hate Howard Stearn, but also no more waking up at 4:30 a.m. The commute? Gone. I'll miss some of the interaction with colleagues I'm sure, but I'll also be doing what I love. I realized this fully on Saturday.

There I was in the gym, T.D. in the playroom chatting up a 9 year old who was besotted with her, and I'm doing my cool down. As I stretched I realized my anxiety and nervous energy was gone. I wasn't worried about money either. I just knew it would all work out. We'll be ok. I looked at myself in the mirror, my chin on my kneecap, and knew it would be ok. I will not worry about staying home or quitting anymore. My secret is out. I can breathe again.

I can also go full on crazy writing and selling Arbonne now which I have to say, I totally love doing. I spent the weekend doing both and juggling T.D. and her crimes. It wasn't bad. I liked it. I felt more competent and relaxed than I do after work each day that is for sure.

So that is your feel good for the week. The moment of zen. A break from the rants. Don't worry, I'm sure I'll think of something soon to freak out about.

Everyone's Playing

And now a word from my sponsor du jour...

Party Casino is the world's largest online casino. Being new to the whole online gambling thing I thought I would check it out. It has everything! From sports betting (tennis, football, basketball and more)to horse racing, and even online slots there is truly a game for everyone. So if you love online gambling and need a new place to visit try Party Casino! It's free to download and quick and easy to install. The payouts are fast and there is always something new.

Bingo!

I had a random memory today. When I was about 12 my best friend E got a bingo set for Christmas. It was a real classy one too. Complete with the cage that you could turn all the little numbered balls in. Instantly we fell in love. We were hooked. We decided to set up a designated bingo time each week. Every Sunday, for I don't even remember how long, E and I would sit on the floor of her room and play nickel and dime bingo. Dorky? Yea, probably but it made me smile to remember it.

Oddly, a sponsor sent me a link for a site today called Party Bingo. I checked it out and found it to be aimed at mainly women. The site is pink in design and has young twenty-something women all dressed up for a night out, but instead they are opting to play bingo online. I find it intriguing and wonder could E and I spend Sunday nights playing bingo again despite the 3,000 mile difference between us?

Product of the Week!

Babesta, is a cool boutique full of fun items for babies and toddlers. This site has hip clothes, music, books and gifts for many styles and tastes. Somehow I found this place and have since bought gifts for friends and items for myself as well. I'm all about supporting other Mom's with their own business ventures you know. If you don't like or want to dress your tot in cutesey pastels or just hate cookie-cutter type outfits then Babesta is the place to shop! They have amazing hand-picked independent designers that create the clothes. Want a Sex Pistols t-shirt for your 2 year-old? They have it! Have an obsession with Trumpette socks like I do? Babesta has them too!

When you visit the site you'll find it's broken down into many categories. You can shop by attitude (sweet & chic, rock star, or just plain cool to name a few), gifts or designer. I like to shop by attitude myself. It's a fun place to visit and get ideas and come back to as well if you are not ready to buy. I bookmarked it immediately and refer to it often. Check Babesta out and find your own fave toy, threads, accessory, or gift for the tot in your life.



*Remember the products I promote are all my own opinion and finds. I am not swayed by merchandise or money to give them a shout out.

Overheards While on Holiday...

Scene 1~

Me: Whoo Hoo! I get to visit E in LA and I'm not pregnant this time! I can DRINK!!! WHOO HOOO!!!

My Mother: (sitting on couch looking at me with obvious disapproval) Sighs loudly and frowns, "Why is drinking such a big deal?..."

Me: It's not! I just want to have fun and go out. (Slightly irritated, shoulders raising a half inch.)

My Mother: Who is going to drive......

Me: Sighing even louder, "It's LA Moooommmmmmm (suddenly I'm 16 again), there are cabs!


Scene 2~ Kitchen floor of my house, my parents showing T.D. a box filled of small stuffed creatures she wrestled from Santa.

My Father: Here's the bunny, T.D. Bunny. See Bunny!

My Mother: T.D.! Duck! Duckie!!! Yellow Duck! Quack, Quack!

My Father: Yes. Quack, Quack. See the mouse. A green mouse. Hmm...

My Mother: Look T.D., a Yak! See the Yak? YAAAKK.

My Father: That's not a Yak! Who makes stuffed Yaks? It's a sheep. NO ONE makes stuffed Yak's!


Scene 3:

One sound continuously heard over and over again. That sound is this... tick, tick, tick whooosh! That is the sound of my gas stove being turned on to heat another kettle of tea. Last count was about seven a day.

Catch up!

Oh you deliquent little blogger you! Such sporadic posts the past week or so I know. I've been busy with freelance projects, family visits, visiting family and loading and unloading my dishwasher an obscene amount of time. I am back now and today is a big day.

Blah, Blah, Blah it's a new year and changes are occuring this very day! Lots of stuff has happened the last week or so as well. I don't even know quite where to begin. T.D. has learned to point and whispers to herself which is very endearing. Poking me in the eye with her pointer finger? Not quite so endearing. My parents were in town for a whole week which enabled me to get tons of work done (Thanks guys!). It also caused me to have a massive meltdown. I get stressed with visits from anyone. Or when I visit one place with family for too long. I don't know why. H starts to hate me, we fight, T.D. is now an addition to this bizarre dichotomy of chaos and stops napping, eating normally or sleeping through the night (sleep deprivation really is torture.). I confess I was impatient and bitchy. I feel horrible about it all. Like I ruined Christmas. I probably did.

My house is like a toy shop exploded, my dishwasher is going to go on strike if it goes one more cycle and I'm back at work today. Today is the BIG day. I give notice. Except here's the thing. My boss? He's a no-show today. WTF am I supposed to do now? I'm not waiting. Whatever.

Other new developments are that I am now a card-carrying Arbonne consultant. You want samples of stuff to try? I will send them to YOU. Just email me and I'll send you some groovy, fun stuff to slather on to your person.