My baby girl is 6!

As of 11:27 am today, she is officially 6 years old.

" I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making
Don't let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance "

 

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

This sucks

and it's only been a week.

Arrrgh

It's -25 degrees outside today, and so it's apparently too cold to go to school. The kids haven't been to school since the 15th of this month--That's five days ago, people. Couple that with Jason being gone for "How to be an officer" school for the next six weeks and you have one very stressed me.

There will be alot of this:

and this

I can't wait until the end of March. For reals.

Fight the Frump--Casually

As a busy mom and wife-I try to keep my look casual, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to look good. One of my favorite things to wear to help me cross that line from ho-hum to polished is a great wrap top. They are perfect for flattering any wobbly bits lurking in the stomach region, and can be found in a variety of fabrics. An added benefit of a wrap top, is that if you don't have a waist--the wrap will help you create the illusion of one!

Click on Fussy's badge to see the rest of the blogospheres's ideas! 

I can't believe it...

Ten years,

One decade,

 Three thousand, 653 days.

How can I say what is too much for words?

A rainbow cannot fit into my heart.

Perhaps we should be musical as birds

Perched singing of our love with practiced art.

You cannot taste my happiness, or feel

A little of the chill of your caress.

No word or metaphor can make it real,

Nor song contain the truth I would express.

In my love there are mountains miles high,

Valleys rainbow carpeted, and wide

Enough for clear, still lakes to steal the sky ...

Oh!!! I cannot tell you what's inside!

So you must turn to what you feel for me,

And read therein my tender rhapsody.

Reach deep, my love, and I will be there, too:

You have me in your heart, as I have you.

~By Turlough O'Carolan.

 

I love you, Jason. It's been a great 10 years. Here's to our next 10!

Something borrowed:

Again with the theme , I "borrowed" this kiss from my husband ten years ago today, and have been trying to give it back ever since.

Something new...

Continuing on  in Robin's theme for the week-- I give you something new.

A new blog header. Yea, I suck. I blame the sinus infection.

The Great Interview Experiment

I took part in a pretty cool thing recently-The great interview Experiment-which is attempting to make everyone "somebody" and to prove that you don't have to be famous to be interviewed.

For my part I interviewed Sarah-- who is a source of inspiration for anyone--see question #2! She's also had some pretty neat jobs, but the most interesting sounding, by far is the Custard Engineer! I love custard (frozen or not) so that one really struck a note with me.

1) Is there some thing that you wish you could invent?
Hmm... this is tough. Right now, I wish "they" (not me) could invent a way to travel faster on the ground. I love road trips, but sometimes you just need to get where you are going. For example, I wish I could get to work faster, but I don't need to fly. I just need a faster car, or maybe higher speed limits. I don't think I really answered the question, so I'd also like to invent a way to make cute shoes for my ski feet, without paying a ton of money.

2) What one thing/memory/situation makes you the most proud?
Seeing how much weight I've lost and how much better I look now, compared to high school.

This is freshman year of college - yes my eyebrow was pierced... but this was after I started plucking so at least you aren't seeing the unibrow. At the end of this school year (2001) I weighed about 260lbs. You can't see the fat as well in this picture, but trust me. The next one is Prom, junior year of high school. yikes!!

the next one is me and my grandma in December. I weigh about 195. I still have some weight I want to lose, but watching home videos last weekend made me realize how far I've come. My goal is 175.

3) What is the one place you want to visit before you get old and gray? Why?
Paris, or some part of France. I took French in high school and college, and I was pretty good at it. I want to immerse myself in the culture and see if everything I envision France to be is close to what it's really like.

4) What is your biggest pet peeve about people? Why does it bug you?
Incorrect grammar. I'm not sure why, but I feel like everyone should be able to communicate well, regardless of profession and it drives me insane when people use incorrect grammar. It especially irks me when I read it in a newspaper or other publication.

5) What angers you more than anything?
Not being taken seriously at work because I am young. I guess I look younger than I am (which will come in handy later, but it's frustrating right now) so some people think I don't know what I'm talking about, but I really do try not to make stuff up to sound important.

6) What makes you laugh the hardest?
When my three good friends from high school and I get together. We always end up making fun of ourselves for turning into our mothers.

7) What three positive things do you really want people to know about you?
I'm a good listener, I'm good at my job (for future employers... how do you convey that on a piece of paper!?), I'm usually a happy person.

8) What have you always wanted to talk here about, but haven't - either because you're too afraid, it's too controversial, or you just don't know how to do it justice or put it into words?
My sex life. My parents and grandma and my father in law read this. sooo that subject is not allowed. Sometimes I want to blog when hubby and I get in a fight, but I also don't want the whole world to know all of that... sometimes I blog and don't publish or I write it down to get it all out.

9.)What is the strangest job you have ever had?
well, I've worked at a college, a hospital doing PR, steak n shake and cracker barrell as a server, old navy, best buy and kohls as retail, and at a golf course as a beer wench. I don't really think any of them are strange, but the kind of different job was by far my favorite - a "custard engineer" at Fritz's Frozen Custard all through high school. My best high school memories were formed in the parking lot after work, where we would all hang out until 3 in the morning after our shifts. I'm still friends with several of those people.

10) This time last year, you posted pictures of some artwork that you had done in your basement. Have you done anymore work like that one the house?
no, but I did paint on a canvas for a co-worker.

I was also on the receiving end of an interview done by Christine. She had a lot of questions, and I am always willing to talk about myself, lol!

If I was coming round for dinner what would you cook? I’d probably start by asking you what your favorite cuisine was, and then try to devise a menu from there. Most recently, I had a co-worker of the husband over and his favorite meal of all time is “Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo”, so I made that, and apparently he thinks it’s better than what they make at the Olive Garden. (I think he doesn’t eat out enough!!)

What is your favorite new ingredient of the moment? Right now, I’d have to say Mascarpone Cheese. Did you know you can use that in just about everything? You can use it as a dessert ingredient or you can use it in a savory sauce…that stuff is amazing!

What did you have for dinner last night? Last night, I had a chicken breast, smothered in BBQ sauce, coated in bread crumbs and oven baked until it was nice and crispy-(Sort of an hommage to BBQ and Fried Chicken but combined)-with some sweet corn drizzled with melted butter with a side of homemade smashed potatoes!

What is the best about local food in Nebraska? Home grown beef–hands down.

Fashion

I have a #1 rule of blogging that is basically that if I write about someone, ANYONE they will probably read it. Has that held true for you as fasionista that you know about?—I don’t think so for the most part. I tend to write more about things or my feelings or boring day to day activities, and less about people (unless they are wearing really bad clothing, and then I try not to name names). If I do write about people, I try to keep it positive, so that if they do read it, they won’t be offended.

The 80s look appears to be coming back how’s that feel?–It makes me want to rip out my hair and lament the fact that this is happening. The 80;s were bad, mmkay? Bad hair, neon colors—oh the humanity!

You are omnipotent but only in the styles arena you can instantly make something a super trend or wipe it away. What do you choose? I would get rid of tapered jeans. No one should ever venture outside their home in a pair of tapered leg jeans unless they want to look like an ice cream cone.

Is there something that is classic Omaha fashion that outsiders wouldn’t know about? Do you partake? I don’t think Omaha really has fashion…let alone a fashion that others don’t know about. People around here are pretty laid back when it comes to fashion, for the most part. The only thing I have really seen them get excited about fashion wise is Nebraska Husker Gear, and that is one thing I can’t partake in. We are BC supporters here!

Omaha

What is the best thing about living in Omaha? What would you change about it if you could? The small town feeling in what is shaping up to be a real city. Only in Omaha, can you see a sign above a cart corral in a shopping area parking lot that says “Think of your neighbor and the damage that could happen to their car”. The only thing I would really change about Omaha would be to move it closer to the ocean. My husband and I were both born in New England and we miss that area, the scenery, the mountains, the ocean….

I maybe moving to Omaha what do you recommend for me to do to get the real feel of the city?– Spend some time down in the Old Market for the unique shopping experience, go to a ball game at Rosenblatt (Home of the Men’s College World Series!)and visit some the amazing museums we have here ( The Jocelyn is my favorite!)

If you could instantly transport your whole family back to living in the time you grew up would you? If not then is there a time you think of as “the good old days?” What would you miss most about now? No, I don’t think there is a time that would be “the good old days’ for me. I enjoyed my past and the time that I grew up in , but my family has so many more opportunities now, than what existed 5 years ago, let alone 10-20 plus years ago.

Is there anything about you that doesn’t fit in Omaha? Where would it fit better. Would you move there if you could? I am a totally New England gal. I love the ocean, the mountains, forests….and Omaha doesn’t really have those things. I’d love to live in New England again…perhaps someday after retirement!

Blogging

Has blogging changed you life much? Not really, I do it mainly to keep myself sane and to just jot down things that are passing thru my head.

What topics do you steer clear of in your blog? Any you wish you had more time/courage/insight to blog about that you don’t? I don’t think there is anything really that I won’t write about. I’ve talked about my marriage, my kids, my friends…it’s all good.

Thoughts

Tell me about a recent moment of joy. –Every day that I wake up with family around me is a moment of joy. Sure, it’s also a moment that I NEED coffee or my head will explode, but the joy is there nonetheless.

You’ve got a day to yourself with no obligations — what do you do with it?— Hmm, shop for a while, read a new book in a bubble bath, and take a lazy nap afterwords. Eat some of my favorite foods and then just relax on the couch.

What is your theme song? — Some days it’s Life ain’t always beautiful by Gary Alan and other it’s 8 Easy steps by Alanis Morrissette.

Who will play you in the movie of your life. Drew Barrymore. If only I looked that good!

What is the perfect modeling job for you? One that lets me use my kids in the photo!

It was an interesting experiment, and I've enjoyed getting to know both of these ladies. If you get a chance, go out and read some of the interviews that were done and hopefully you'll find some new blogs that you won't be able to resist reading...I know I did.

Something Old...

The other Mother has a cure for those February blah bloggin' days: a cute little wedding flavored meme.

Something old is the theme for today so I give you this:

This blurry photo is ten years old. This is Jason proposing to me at tech school in Biloxi, Mississippi in front of a full court yard of people. We met there officially in late November of 1997 and were married just two short months later, on Valentines Day 1998. It's been nearly ten years, and I'd do it all over again.

Father Knows Less --Wendell Jamieson

Jamieson, city editor for the New York Times, whose seven-year-old son, Dean, has been in full-bore question mode for the past few years, decided that the best strategy for giving Dean the answers was also to give himself a challenge. He would get each answer from a real person who knows it by heart, whose very livelihood depends on the knowledge that Jamieson would present without sugarcoating or simplification. The result is a compendium of hilariously insightful questions from kids (age seven and under) with often insightfully hilarious answers from adults ranging from a doctor discussing the difference between somatic and neuropathic pain (What would hurt more: getting run over by a car or getting stung by a jellyfish?) to a dominatrix explaining Mach 1 air speed (If you don't hit anything with it, how does a whip make that noise?). Jamieson helpfully organizes the questions by theme into chapters, although his introductory anecdotes to each, while amusing, should have been drastically reduced to make room for more questions. Too bad this funny and fascinating book is coming out in September: it makes a perfect Father's Day gift for any dad whose child has ever asked, Why is the sky blue? or Why do we have eyebrows? or What does 'sexy' mean?

--It's amusing for the most part. The questions are some that my kids have asked me (why is the sky blue, etc), but I don't think some of the explanations/experts are appropriate for the age group of the child asking the questions for example; having a dominatrix answer the question of "If you don't hit anything with it, how does a whip make that noise?". I don't know about you, but in my house, that would just beget more questions about what a dominatrix is, why someone would want one, so on and so forth.

I recommend this as a "bathroom-reader" for adults.

Celebrity Detox-- Rosie O'Donnell

Sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, and always brutally honest, this is Rosie O'Donnell's surprising account of the pain, regret, and euphoria involved in withdrawing from celebrity life--and the terrifying dangers of relapsing into the spotlight. Celebrity Detox is Rosie's story of the years after she walked away from her top-rated TV show in 2002, and her reasons for going back on the air in 2006. In it, she takes you inside the world of talk-show TV, speaking candidly about the conflicts and challenges she faced as cohost on ABC's The View. Along the way Rosie shows us how fame becomes addiction and explores whether or not it's possible for an addict to safely, and sanely, return to the spotlight. Chronicling the ups and downs of "the fame game," Rosie O'Donnell illuminates not only what it's like to be a celebrity, but also what it's like to be a mother, a daughter, a leader, a friend, a sister, a wife...in short, a human being.

--Wow, what a train wreck of a book. It's jumpy, poorly edited (grammatical errors and spelling issues) and is just a thinly veiled excuse to whine about how Barbara Walters let Rosie down. Please, for the love of kittens don't read this book.

So thankful

Did you ever have one of those moments where someone said just the perfect thing to change your whole mood and day for the better? I just did.

Thanks Patti, I needed that.

Wow!

Almost 40,000 people turned out for Nebraska's first Democratic caucus and with a resounding voice, proudly declared Sen. Barack Obama Nebraska's Democratic choice.

"Numbers from across 98 percent of the state's precints showed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama with 68 percent of the vote and 25,887 supporters to Hillary Clinton's 32 percent and 12,347 voters."

At one point, the caucus  area in Sarpy county exceeded building limits due to huge turnout of Sarpy county voters which triggered traffic backups for miles, complaints from voters and delayed the start of the caucus. One caucus officials said when they closed off registration, there was still traffic backed up to get in along Highway 370.

Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Cherry Bars

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® chocolate fudge cake mix

1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 bag (12-oz size) miniature semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

1 container Betty Crocker® Whipped chocolate frosting

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease and flour 15x10x1-inch or 13x9-inch pan, or spray with baking spray with flour.

2. In large bowl, gently mix dry cake mix, pie filling, eggs and chocolate chips with rubber scraper; break up any undissolved cake mix by pressing with scraper. Carefully spread in pan.

3. Bake 15x10x1-inch pan 25 to 30 minutes, 13x9-inch pan 35 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Frost with frosting. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows.

German Chocolate Coconut Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) German chocolate cake mix
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
  
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups flaked sweetened coconut, divided
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup (6 oz.) semi-sweet and white chocolate morsels, divided

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

POUR cake mix into large bowl; cut in butter and lightly beaten egg with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Press onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Combine sweetened condensed milk, egg and vanilla extract in medium bowl; beat until well combined. Stir in 1 cup coconut, nuts and 1/2 cup Swirled Morsels. Spread mixture evenly over base; sprinkle with remaining coconut and Swirled Morsels. Lightly press down morsels.

BAKE for 30 to 32 minutes or until center is almost set. Center will firm when cool. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Join in the fight against Frump!

Fussy thinks that there is "There's way too much ugly out there, and way too little style" in the world today, and I aim to help her alleviate some of it! This week her focus is on jewelry and she asks for our tips on how to show some style. I am a huge fan of color and bold jewelry. Almost anyone can pull it off, if you just try.

Here are some helpful tips:

Don't just go for new. Go for vintage. Some of the best “bold” jewelry pieces can be found for cheap at vintage or thrift stores. Aged pieces tend to have lots of character and pizzazz and can say a lot about your personality. Not to mention, it’s much easier on your pocketbook.

Don’t be afraid of color. This can be the most fun, whether you choose a stone or a beaded necklace with a splash of red or green. It doesn’t matter if the stones are real or faux; the larger size will make your piece unique. And, the color will grab the attention of people from far away. If the piece of jewelry has a little sparkle, even better. This will glitz up any outfit and prepare it for a night out on the town.

Whatever you decide, bold jewelry must fit your bold personality. If you’re not already outgoing, these pieces could make you more so. Just be sure to find a piece of jewelry that you are comfortable with.

I hear shades of RFK and MLK, Jr. in Obama.

"It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.

Yes we can.

It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.

Yes we can.

It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.

Yes we can.

It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.

Yes we can to justice and equality.

Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.

Yes we can heal this nation.

Yes we can repair this world.

Yes we can.

We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.

We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics...they will only grow louder and more dissonant ........... We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.

But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.

Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea --

Yes. We. Can."

things currently stuck in my head...

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!
Wubbzy! Wubbzy! Wow! Wow!

Wow! Wow!

Wow! Wow! Wow!

Not a fun weekend...

and it's not entirely Eli Mannings fault. First, the girl was sick..then I was sick--I think I saw some of the Super Bowl in between shivering my ass off under 12190790 blankets on the couch and racing back and forth to the restroom. Now Jason is sick--never a pleasant experience.

I hate virus's.

I don't even want to talk about it...

Eli Manning, you made my seven year old cry, and scream "It's not supposed to be this way". You should be ashamed of yourself.