The Mommy Librarian

New Year's Resolutions and Other Hooey

2011-01-17T19:24:00.003-05:00

I never make resolutions anymore. This is mainly because I know I will never keep them. And also because it's somewhat arbitrary to decide to do something just because everyone else is doing it. However, this year seems like more of a fresh start than most. In 2010, I lost my mother and then a month later a very dear coworker died suddenly. Then Chris lost his job and then I learned that the libraries were reorganizing and my job would change somehow. I'd have to go through a round of interviews to find out. Lo and behold... a promotion, just when Chris found a job...

That he hated.

So we moved. Then he quit. Then he accepted Job 3 of 2010. Then Athena changed schools.

The only thing that could have made the year more stressful is if we'd had a baby or gotten a divorce. Fortunately, we did neither. My head might have exploded.

So, in walks 2011 and I says to the Year, I says... "Year, you better not suck even 1/4 as much as last Year did. And really, that still gives you plenty of suckage allowance. And Year, can we do something about making me feel less like a blobby waste of protoplasm and more like the Wonder Woman I felt like two years ago? Maybe?"

And the Year said, "Well, you COULD make that same diet resolution that everyone else makes. That's always good for a laugh."

And I said, "As much as I'd like my failures to amuse you, Year, I know better than to do that. Any other thoughts?"

And we thought, and we thought, and then we thought some more. And then I looked over and saw this book. I had no idea who this celebrity chef was, but I was intrigued by her formula. Three meals each week, designed to flow with the seasons somewhat, that are easy to make and actually can build off one another so that you can use leftovers almost immediately in a different dish. Seemed very similar to my experience with Dream Dinners, which is now, sadly, quite out of business in my area of the world.

I bought this book last year because it held promise of a way to get me in the kitchen more and in a more organized fashion. It also would, by default, be healthier because it would provide me some variety without being too complicated. She leans heavily toward Mexican and Asian cuisine, which are two areas I've done VERY little cooking in. But now as Year and I looked over at it, I realized my resolution could be way easier and more concrete than "Diet and Exercise." Now my resolution could be simply, "Cook everything in this book, in order, whether you think you'll like it or not and see what happens."

So that's the deal Year and I made with one another. So far, so good. I've done two weeks of her recipes and all have gotten better than a C grade from the spouse and myself. We don't ask the kids. Although Athena has been pretty pleased so far. Marcus may actually starve to death. We're watching.

I'm using ingredients I've never even held in my hand before (habanero peppers and hot sauce to name a couple -- and not in the same recipe, thank goodness) and I've made dishes I normally wouldn't want to eat even if I'd been served it at someone else's house (zuppa di pesce -- I don't like tomato-based soups in general). I am finding that my taste buds are more adventurous than I gave them credit for and I've probably eaten more vegetables in the last two weeks than I did in the entire Year of 2010. Take THAT, evil Year.

I did make two other resolutions. Read 30 books (three more than last year) and write more. One book down, one blog post down. Boo yah!

One Week More

2010-10-09T21:21:00.003-04:00

We are moving on Friday. Athena is completely stressed out. And you can imagine that if the six-year-old is freaking, Mommy ain't doin' much better.

We've packed maybe 1/8th of the house. I'm pretty sure at this point that the movers will just be moving our furniture and we'll have to carry all the boxes over. Chris was very helpful today while I was working and he packed several boxes. Unfortunately, he doesn't look at the size of the box vs. what he is packing, so I am going to have to repack some stuff. He put Marcus' books in one HUGE box that is not even full yet and is practically impossible to move. But I'm still grateful, as repacking a box is fairly simple.

To make things worse, I can't get myself motivated to do anything at all. I feel completely out of it and exhausted. I think this is a side-effect of chaos. There is no order to anything we do right now. The houses are both in total disarray. Thank goodness we have people doing the work on the new house or we wouldn't be able to move in until NEXT fall.

I keep telling myself this is all temporary. Once we move into the new house (which is HUGE) we will have plenty of room for everything and it will be easier to stay organized. We also have some money now, which will also help in that regard. Overall, the changes we are making should have a very positive effect on our lives. It's just that right now I feel we've only done worse by ourselves by layering even more stressors onto an already dire situation.

Athena keeps scratching her head. I checked, and I didn't see any bugs, but there are some places on her head that seem raw. I'm hoping that it's just summer sweaty head making her itch, but I am of course very worried that it's yet another visit from the lice. If it is, I'm taking a week off work and I'm just dealing with that only. Nothing else. Obviously, they are not happy with the attention I've already given them, so I will do away with them once and for all.

And of course, the only reason I am paranoid that it's lice again is because we are about to move and I have no time to deal with this.

The Year That Needs to Die

2010-09-21T20:38:00.002-04:00

So I have been away from blogging for a while. There have been several factors involved in my separation... many of which involve personal introspection that even journaling would not help with. But I must admit that I feel guilty that these last couple of years are completely now outside the scope of this blog and therefore they will be non-years in effect when I read back over my writing or when my children read back over it. The reason I've never felt that I'd abandon blogging forever, in truth, is my children.

This has been reinforced as I now troll through my mother's things and find lots and lots of junk with little tiny treasures sprinkled in. There is a picture of my grandmother while she was on vacation at a place that inspired one of the Disney resorts I have patronized. There is the furniture that my father made for my mother to display her shadowboxes in. And there is the typed up collection of letters that my grandmother sent to my grandfather daily when he was away during World War II and she was home with my mother and her infant brother. These remind me how important it will be for my children to have my writing in order to get to know me better and to learn more about themselves as well.

Most of the time I've been away from blogging has been simply due to writer's block brought on by several different factors. During that time, I was reexamining my life and my priorities. I still haven't quite got it figured out, but a path seems to be emerging for me to take.

But since November of 2009, when we took our 10th anniversary vacation, life has simply been too extreme to really keep up with it in writing. We had a one month battle with lice that we seem to have picked up on the cruise. That was followed by Christmas, which was then closely followed by my mother's diagnosis with cancer. She died a month later and I feel very fortunate that my job allowed me to spend so much time with her. Not just my job, really, but my immediate family too. Chris was exactly the support I needed through that time, and I had some very good friends who also propped me up and carried me through it.

One month after my mother's death, one of the members of my staff died suddenly of a stroke. One cannot really appreciate the loss this coworker's death brought to me and the people I work with. She was an extraordinary human being, and I don't say that lightly.

On the heels of that, Chris was furloughed indefinitely, slashing our income by more than half, just as we happened to begin receiving inheritance from my mother. To say that the timing was extremely important devalues how lucky we really are. As Chris looked for work, I learned that the libraries were restructuring. This restructure resulted in an intense interview process in which I was successful and earned a promotion of sorts. This promotion moved me to a new library, but one I am very happy to be a part of. Soon after I learned I got the job, Chris also got a job, and we began to look for a house. The market is good for buying and we figured we would see what was out there.

In July, we found a house in distress and made an offer. We had knowledge of a mold problem in the home, which is not unusual in foreclosures, so we made an offer that was contigent on the mold being remediated. Two months later (one month after the original close date) we have just learned that the mold is absolutely remediated and on top of that, we got a beautiful new bathroom out of the deal. The bank has been very generous in fixing this house to make it safe for my family and we are so grateful to be moving into a beautiful home within two miles of my work and significantly closer to Chris' job as well.

Over the summer, we also battled lice again and this time, the fight was drawn out because of policies at our day care that I was unaware of. Suffice it to say, the lice are gone and I don't expect them to be back. But we are checking regularly now. Not taking any chances.

We should be moving by mid-October, although the process will begin almost as soon as we close on the house. We then need to sell this house and although we have a buffer in place, I am very nervous about selling in this market.

Still, that said, I am giving myself until the end of the year to expect the stress level to be high, and then 2010 needs to go away and never be heard from again. I have no idea if anyone is even really reading blogs anymore with Facebook and so many other venues available to them, but for me, I hope to really return to saving our lives in writing for my children. I now know how much they will value it.

What I Said Today About Mom

2010-02-12T14:12:00.002-05:00

Describing mom is no easy task. She is unique. One of a kind. Truly, in a word, indescribable. My husband plays hockey, and at his game this past week, his teammates offered condolences. When he relayed that to me, I asked him if he told them anything about her and he replied quite honestly, “I would have no idea where to start.”

And this is my challenge today. To tell you something about this woman who defies description. To reminisce over a life that was incredibly full, incredibly busy, and incredibly generous.

So when attempting to meet a challenge like this, it’s best to break it into smaller pieces. Maybe I could speak to you about one or two aspects of her life. But what do I pick? Over her life she has accomplished so much and her talents are so numerous, it is difficult to choose one area to talk about. However, anyone who knows her knows that of all the roles she has had – Garden Council President, DAR Regent, Forest Oaks Community Association newsletter editor – (the list is really too huge), the one she valued most… and the one that is dearest to me, is the role she played as “mom.”

As a child, I had no idea how impressive mom’s juggling act was. After all, she was mom, and that’s what moms do, right? So the fact that over the first 18 years of our lives she managed the household, dealt with our school work and associated activites, got us to music lessons, swim team practice, Girl Scout meetings and activities, art lessons, dance lessons, and theater practice while still managing to feed us, get our hair cut, and get us to the doctor and the dentist just seemed effortless to me. Let’s then throw in that during that time she painted hundreds of ceramic pieces, made dozens of beaded Christmas trees, designed, created and furnished over 25 shadow boxes, played tennis regularly, and stayed active in garden clubs and the DAR (among other things), it’s enough to set any reasonable adult’s head spinning. And she did all of this without mobile phones and computers to keep her organized. She kept it all in her head and on a little paper calendar.

But she didn’t just shuffle us from activity to activity either. She took on important roles in our activities. She became a Girl Scout leader despite the fact that she really had never had any previous interest in the Girl Scouts or the activities associated with it. She freely admitted that her idea of roughing it was a Holiday Inn with no room service and a b/w television. But she was a good Girl Scout leader. She was an instant hit with the troop. She didn’t do it only halfway either. We earned dozens of merit badges under her leadership, and I picked up skills and hobbies I carry with me to this day. And she did take us camping. I am not making this up. She forded the stream to get to the campground in her Cadillac DeVille and she wore her mink coat to keep warm.

When I was a younger child, mom would hint at those upcoming “teenage” years. Every now and then, she’d express that fear that I now understand all mothers have… that once their children hit the magic age of 13 (or maybe 12 or 11, realistically), they will suddenly hate their mothers and turn into rebellious little demons. I actually became anxious about my 13^th birthday. What sort of evil monster would I become? Would I get ugly and hunched over? More importantly, would it hurt?

But the weirdest thing happened. I woke up on my thirteenth birthday, and lo and behold, I thought mom was just as cool as I always did. Maybe even a little bit cooler. Other kids could go hate their moms if they wanted (and in fact, some of my friends did choose to go that route.) I, on the other hand, got to bond with my mom during my most emotionally turbulent and physically awkward years. And I wasn’t the only one…

My friends loved my mom too. Even the ones that didn’t like their own moms so much. They loved to hang out at my house and chat with her. They loved to eat her magically amazing grilled cheese sandwiches. They loved to admire her dollhouse and shadow boxes. And they loved to just chat with her. My mom was, dare I say it… HIP! And again, I’m not making this up… one of our neighbors sent me a note this week that said ever since he met her in 1976, he always thought of her and my dad as “hipsters of the day.” Who knew?!

She supported me through every difficult time in my life. Even when I made choices she wasn’t so sure were best for me, she would support me. She would offer me her opinion and advice, of course, but there was never any pressure from her to change my mind or behave differently. She let me learn my own lessons. And to her surprise and delight, once or twice it turned out that I was actually right.

I must say that when I was 27 and I announced to mom and Linda that I was planning to get married, they were shocked. And had good reason to be. After all, up until then, I had not been great at maintaining a meaningful relationship more than a few months, and my intended was a man whom I had known for about two months and had only been dating for about two weeks. I put myself in her shoes and imagine she must have been, for lack of a better word, completely freaking out inside.

But she remained outwardly calm, asked me some questions (including the ever-reasonable, “Can I perhaps MEET this young man?”) and expressed her nervousness over the short courtship. However, by the end of the conversation (and assurances that she COULD meet him, absolutely), she told me that she supported any decision I made and that her main interest is that I should be happy.

She remained cautious and nervous through the whole engagement and wedding planning, although she never really shared that with me. Linda got an earful, as I understand it, but she was sure to always show me strong support and love. It wasn’t until my wedding reception eight months later that mom pulled me aside and said, “I wasn’t sure about this whole thing… it was all terribly fast, but it is clear to me that Chris loves you very much and he is a wonderful match for you.”

And then, over the last ten years, she frequently took his side in any disagreement he and I would have. When I would call her on it, she would say, “What? He is right!”

Now I’m a mom. And I hold myself up to the “mom” standard constantly. When I talk to my children, I am almost always simultaneously thinking “Is this how mom would handle this situation?” She has set the bar very high. But she raised me to get it right.

When my father passed away, I read a passage from a children’s book that spoke quite eloquently about the circle of life and how death works into it. For mom, I felt it more appropriate to simply read you the lines of one of her favorite songs. It was sung at her high school graduation, and it remained special to her throughout her life. I believe it also speaks well about her death:

When you walk through a storm

Hold your head up high

And don’t be afraid of the dark

At the end of the storm is a golden sky

And the sweet silver song of a lark

Walk on through the wind

Walk on through the rain

Tho your dreams be tossed and blown

Walk on walk on with hope in your heart

And you’ll never walk alone

You’ll never walk alone.

It's The Little Things

2010-01-21T21:07:00.002-05:00

As I have been sitting by mom's hospital bed these last two weeks, I've been frustrated that while she is still living and breathing and here with me, the morphine has either had her knocked out or unable to work her mouth well enough to speak. My mother is a talker. And a listener. And she's funny. And she's smart.

And I miss that.

Or rather, I missed it. Today, out of the blue, she woke up from a good night's sleep and started talking. Really talking. Full sentences. The works. Of course, I wasn't here... it was my sister's night to be with her and I was at work. But they called me and Linda put Mom on the speaker phone.

I cannot describe the joy I felt in hearing her voice again. Really hearing it. I was truly afraid that I wouldn't get to have another real conversation with her. And although her facial expressions are very communicative, it's not the same.

She's asleep now. She had a really big day and has managed to stay off the PRN morphine all day. A very low dose of extended release morphine has kept her pain under control and her mind sharp. We are hoping it is a positive sign of what is to come.

But tomorrow, once she is rested again, I sincerely hope she talks my ear off. I cannot wait.

A Cure For Writer's Blcok

2010-01-11T23:01:00.002-05:00

So I'm in the hospital watching over my mother. Her diagnosis has changed several times over the last 24 hours, and we will have a more definitive answer tomorrow after a biopsy. But it's not looking good. She is very uncomfortable and practically immobile with pain.

The hospital has wifi "for our convenience," but I am finding that most sites I use on a daily basis are blocked. I would not really be updating my Facebook status with the icky and highly personal aspects of her stay here, but I would like to be able to watch my friends live their lives on the outside. I can't clear out my Google reader because half of the blogs I follow are blocked here in the hospital and I can't even finish setting up my Goodreads account because it is also blocked. (Oddly, LibraryThing is NOT blocked here, so if I had just been willing to pay them their blood money, I could be finishing that task up easily).

And so, I blog.

Mom is just shy of turning 68. She has never really been the healthiest person I know... she has been a smoker since the ripe old age of 12 and although she knew they weren't good for her, she has clung to cigarettes as her main vice. Her other is chocolate, and we all know that chocolate is healthy, so I don't begrudge her that at all.

So we knew this day would arrive. All we've been able to do is hope that it isn't too painful and difficult for her. It looks like those hopes will not come true. She is in for a painful ordeal that may or may not yield positive results.

Watching her, I am reminded of all she has been to me and to all of her friends and family. She is loving and stern, funny and truthful, and conservative and generous. She has been a role model and a rock of support to me and has spoiled me in ways I will never be able to spoil my own daughter. She has ensured I live a full, open and happy life and has guaranteed my comfort and safety, even when I didn't really deserve it.

She is being well taken care of here at the hospital, and yet I find it almost impossible to leave her side. I take pleasure in watching her simply breathe and I enjoy joking with her and making her smile. Work, hobbies, and life's mundane tasks have taken a back seat and at this point, I have a hard time even acknowledging they exist. My sister will be here tomorrow from Hong Kong and Mom is very excited to see her again. It has been almost a year since we last saw her, and just the prospect of her showing up lights up my mother's eyes.

And I suddenly understand yet another aspect of motherhood. I see in her what it means to raise children and set them out in the world. I see the joy she takes simply in knowing that her children "are." And I want my children near me now with a passion I have never before felt.

But right now is her time. She needs to have her girls back just as her girls right now. And she shall have that. For she is why and what we "are."

Life's Little Circles

2009-12-30T22:55:00.002-05:00

I've noticed a very strange phenomenon in my life. I tend to get "led" to places that will eventually be important to me. For example, there was an apartment complex in Greensboro that always sort of stood out to me when we drove past it. However, we didn't get to that area of town often, so we didn't go past it a lot. For a while in my elementary and middle school years, we went to a hair stylist who worked very close to them, so that was really the only time we'd get over there. But I always gazed at those apartments thinking that they were... I dunno... IMPORTANT.

Sure enough, after hunting all over town for my first apartment after college, guess where I ended up.

Okay, so that example isn't so strange because I actually get to PICK the apartment I live in, so I could have sort of led myself there (even though I didn't, and there were two other people in on the decision.)

So, Example the Second. There was a building I passed daily after I got my first job. I noticed it many years before that as well, but almost as soon as I got that first job down the street from it, it became a compulsion. The sign intrigued me. The shape of the windows... The location (right next door to a Krispy Kreme)... All of it called to me.

One day, my dad took me to lunch and said, "Elizabeth, you have a loser, dead-end job that you are way too smart for and it is making both of us miserable. Get another job."

"But, Dad," says I. "I have no idea what I want to DO with my life. I'm 23, have a BA in English Education, and all I know is I don't want to teach."

"Just put some resumes out there."

"But WHERE?!" (Yeah, I was probably whining. I was bad about that. Still am, honestly).

"Doesn't matter."

"The only place that even looks remotely interesting is that place over there." I pointed with my steak and cheese sandwich, because we were lunching in the fabulous Greek restaurant that also happened to be right by "the building."

"Then take a resume there."

"Blind? That never works, Dad. This is the 1990's."

"Humor me."

So I did. I just typed up a resume (it was quite short in those days) and popped it in a manilla envelope. On my lunch break the next day, I went right up to "the building" and I handed my envelope to the receptionist, who seemed about as interested in it as I would have expected her to be. "No job in particular?" she asked. "Nope," says I. "Anything you have that I would qualify for would be interesting to me. I really like this company."

I actually said that. And you know what I knew about the company? It's name. That's it. Name only. And, of course, where their building was... between Krispy Kreme and that Greek place. So I ask you, what's not to like?

Needless to say, you can certainly imagine my surprise when I got a phone call THE NEXT DAY for the PERFECT JOB for me. She actually had just finished interviewing, hadn't really liked her choices, and got my resume. She already knew she wanted to hire me (which she didn't tell me, of course, until she actually DID hire me). It was meant to be.

So, all of that is to share one of life's latest little circles. I did my student teaching at Chapel Hill High School. At the time, it was considered the second best high school in the state and it really was a fabulous teaching experience. While I was there, I asked the drama teacher if I could help with the fall musical, because theater is what I really wanted to do. She was delighted to have the help, and I became a character coach for Hello, Dolly! Seriously fun, and the theater there was quite impressive by high school theater standards.

I left the school and I put all thoughts of teaching behind me. I graduated, moved out of town, and started life as a (real) adult. So when I enrolled my little girl in ballet classes at the Conservatory here, imagine my surprise when I learned that her year-end recital was to be at Chapel Hill High School. A full 20 miles from the Conservatory.

Going back, now a solid 18 years later, was completely strange and other-worldly. I remembered parts of the building like it had only been yesterday. And when my daughter took that same stage that I had worked through all those scenes on... well... Wow. Who knew that the building would hold such treasures for me? Especially a building in a town we do not even live in.

So strange where life takes you.

Save the Library

2009-06-16T22:17:00.002-04:00

So the County passed a budget that actually saved two of our branches from closing. Apparently, they did this by cutting money to education and human services. Although I am overjoyed that our libraries need not be closed, I'm a bit worried about these cuts. I do have a kid entering Kindergarten, and although we have some of the best public schools in the country, they can't maintain that without money. I'm also pretty much in favor of controlling/preventing AIDS and other diseases... so when money comes out of Human Services... well... you see what I'm getting at.

Still, it's good to know that libraries are so valued where I live. There are many, many other places around the country that are seeing libraries closed and hours drastically reduced. The Seattle area is seeing all schools lose their professional librarians, leaving the school libraries to be run by assistants and other teachers. So so so so sad.

And So It Begins...

2009-06-10T22:23:00.004-04:00

Athena and I had an altercation tonight. We've already had plenty. And I'm sure we have plenty more in store. But for some reason, this one seemed really IMPORTANT.

I don't know why. It is just a gut feeling. Like tonight will actually set a tone for us.

Athena is not a very good listener. She, like her mother, is very selfish about 80% of the time. The other 20%, she would literally offer a stranger one of her kidneys. It's black and white with us... no gray. Give or take... no compromise.

It took me a very long time to learn to think more of others, and I still suck at it compared to many people I know. But I do know it about myself now and can monitor my behavior accordingly. Athena, on the other had, has no idea.

So naturally, I feel very strongly about teaching Athena how important it is to listen, be respectful, and freaking share a toy once in a while. We are also in a bit of a money pickle at the moment, so when she destroys something or wastes something, it sends me over the edge.

Tonight, I gave her one of the expensive little character Band-Aid tattoos because Marcus needed one and she wanted one too. She has been VERY good about not asking for Band-Aids for every little scrape, so I coddled her and gave her one. While I was putting Marcus to bed, however, she went in and took another one and applied it herself.

I noticed the open, out-of-place box and asked her if she'd taken another. She admitted it. This is where it gets hard for me. Do I punish her for directly disobeying me and taking the Band-Aid? Or do I reward her for telling me the truth and not trying to cover it up. I chose the former, with a little of the latter thrown in.

There was much fussing and crying. Only her... I assure you. But I did finally sit down with her and have yet another talk about listening and respecting. The conversation seemed to actually click with her for once, though I'm not placing any bets on that. I do like that she's getting old enough that we CAN have a conversation. Hopefully I don't completely damage the relationship before she enters Kindergarten.

Body Language

2009-06-10T04:22:00.002-04:00

For the last few weeks, I've been having some pretty alarming symptoms. Alarming to me, anyway. And what's more alarming, they seem to just be worse versions of symptoms I've had two other times in the last six months. Nausea, bloating, cramping, and extreme fatigue.

Sound familiar? Women in the house who have never had children will say... sounds like your monthly friend. Women who HAVE had children will say... sounds like you are pregnant.

It's neither.

So I went to the doctor. They drew blood to see if it's anemia or a thyroid problem. They do also think the lady bits are just showing some signs of age, but the thyroid is a very likely culprit. I had blood drawn today. Should know something in a week or so.

Meanwhile, my body is really, really off. My training for the 5K has taken a sudden nosedive. I'm still running, but I can't run the workout I had been running successfully two weeks ago. My intestines are in knots and tonight, I can't sleep. It's either pass out tired or no sleep at all. No middle ground.

And all I can do is wait now to find out what the deal is. Ugh.

How I Snagged Your Mother

2009-04-27T21:23:00.002-04:00

On April 2, we passed the ten year anniversary for our engagement. I would have blogged about it then, but I wanted to scan some pictures from that time to include with my writing. However, our scanner doesn't like Vista at all, and has rejected Chris' laptop as well, so I have nothing. It's a shame too, because we look so freakin' young!

Anyhoo... I thought I'd share the story with you. I won't get into the fact that an ex-boyfriend caught wind that the engagement might be happening and proposed to me the night before we left. It was an act of desperation, for which I should be flattered, but really just made me feel like dog poop. However, I packed my bags and headed to the mountains that beautiful Good Friday... fairly sure this was the weekend, but not really knowing.

Chris found a small cabin for us for the weekend (Friday and Saturday night) at Grandfather Mountain, which is near Boone, NC. We arrived around 5pm and got settled in. Chris then suggested we head to a Hibachi restaurant he knew of nearby. I had not eaten at a Hibachi restaurant since I was a young child and had been frightened of the fire, so I said "Sure!" and off we went.

For some reason, I was absolutely positive that if a proposal was coming, I would get it over dinner. Imagine my dismay when I found we were to sit with ten other people (strangers). I put on my best, "No, I'm totally comfortable meeting strangers" face and ended up enjoying the meal very much. But... no proposal. So, I figured that it wouldn't happen until the next day on our planned hike, and I put it to the back of my mind.

We made a stop at the grocery store for tomorrow night's dinner (my plan was to cook in the cabin) and also the ABC store for me (Chris doesn't drink).

We got back, put groceries away, and Chris started a fire in the little fireplace. It wasn't cold, but it was cool enough for us to enjoy the fire. I sipped at my cocktail (a screwdriver) and Chris started rummaging through his bag. He handed me a bottle of cologne and asked, "Do you think your mom will like this?" I was taken aback by the question (Why would he care if my mom liked his cologne?), plus I was baffled he even HAD cologne (he's not really the sort), but I humored him and took a sniff. "It's fine," I reported.

I don't really remember what he said next. Probably something like "Will your mom like THIS?" All I know was I suddenly had a ring under my nose and he was waiting for an answer. He totally distracted me with the cologne so he could get the ring out of his bag. Sneaky.

I had been expecting it, but the logical part of my brain took over and I reviewed my decision one last time before accepting.

We did hike the next day in the Linville gorge, and then we left Sunday to go back to my mom's for Easter Dinner, where we shared the news with my mom and sister. From there, we went back to my house and started making phone calls. I think we even set the date while we were still in the mountains, but I may be wrong about that.

In preparation for writing this, I asked Chris what his memories were. He barely even remembers buying the ring, which seems very odd to me. But this is Chris we're talking about.

The Dreaded Question; or Mommyfail

2009-04-18T20:45:00.004-04:00

Athena asked the dreaded question Thursday morning as we were getting ready. The conversation started simply enough. Athena informed me that it would be very helpful if she had an older sister to help her get ready in the morning so I wouldn't have to. (Mind you, she really doesn't need help in the morning... she was just being clingy that particular morning).

I tried to explain how it would be impossible to provide her with an older sister, as she is the oldest and that cannot be changed. Before you knew it... there is was...

"Well do you GET a baby in your tummy, Mommy?"

I am so ashamed to say that no matter how many times I had thought about this moment, I still stumbled, stammered, and even started with the dreaded... "Well, honey... when a man and a woman love each other..."

Fortunately, I stopped there and restarted. But with all my good intentions and even my desire to be as honest as possible, it's pretty apparent that an almost-five year old girl is not prepared to hear these things. When I got to the part about how a boy and girl fit together, she had clearly heard a little too much. So I backed up and simplified.

"Together, a man and a woman can make a baby. They each have part of what is needed."

Ugh.

We're looking into getting a book for her.

Just Thought You Should Know...

2009-04-14T22:25:00.004-04:00

The set of facts below was printed in one of our branch newsletters, compiled by one of our Regional Supervisors. I didn't ask her permission to reprint, but since she sent it out to our library patrons at large, I'm assuming it's okay. It's all public information anyway, but the nuances are hers.

I wanted to post it here, because with all the talk of budget cuts in Wake County, I have been surprised and hurt to see comments from citizens indicating that we were wasting tons of their money anyway. I don't think people realize exactly what they are talking about, so here you go...

Wake County residents borrowed 10,390,295 books from the public library in 2008-that's 11.88 books per person! No other North Carolina county had residents reading so many books.

Wake County Public Library is a bargain. Not only do you save money by borrowing books, you pay less per use in Wake County than in any other North Carolina county. The statewide average cost is $3.99 per circulation, while Wake County's cost is only $1.62 each.

The statewide average circulation per staff member is 16,500, but Wake County circulates over 47,000 books per staff member. Whew!

While we circulate more books than the largest system in the state, our operating budget is just 53% of that system's budget.

Other interesting facts:
-Wake County has the largest public library book collection in the state--over 1.7 million books.
-Our 19 branches are open 65,000 hours a year.
-47% of Wake County residents actively use their library cards.
-Our libraries were visited 3 million times during the year or about 4 visits per Wake County resident.
-Over 250,000 people attended over 4,000 programs.
-Our 600 public computers were used over 1 million times.

Easter Dinner

2009-04-12T18:25:00.001-04:00

The finished feast. Note the bread shaped like a bunny at the center of the table. Grandma brought that from Great Harvest Bread Company. Everything else was made at home. Mac and Cheese is front and center.

Dessert!

2009-04-12T14:43:00.001-04:00

Strawberry cheesecake torte.

Dying Eggs

2009-04-12T12:47:00.002-04:00

Easter Breakfast

2009-04-12T10:00:00.003-04:00

Chocolate-Chip Pancakes!

An Auspicious Beginning

2009-03-26T19:11:00.002-04:00

In what is sure to become a series this year, I am about to regale you with the story of our first date. (When I say "our" first date, I am referring to Chris and myself. Not "me and you," as I did not date most of those of you reading this. At least... I hope not. A couple of nights along the way are kind of hazy but... well, yes... I'm sure).

Why am I doing this? A good question! Because yesterday was (drum roll please)... the 10th anniversary of our second first date! TA DAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Yeah, you read that right. Ready? Here we go.

I've already shared with you how Chris and I met one January night ten years ago. If you don't remember the story, either blogger ate it, or I will send a prize to the person who can dig it out of my archives. I couldn't find it anywhere. I may have to rewrite that, but meanwhile...

We met in January. In early February, we became aware that we were interested in each other. I was in the middle of breaking up with someone I had been dating for several months who just couldn't seem to commit to much of anything in regards to "us." I was at the "shit or get off the pot" point, and Chris entered on cue, Stage Right.

Although instinct told me that I should really let the break-up sit for a while, I also was kind of intrigued by this self-(over-?)confident young fellow and thought that a little online chatting wouldn't hurt anything. He became more and more interesting to me over the next couple of weeks, and finally, on February 25, he asked me out. To a hockey game. One month away.

"The Canes are playing the Leafs there in Greensboro," he said over the phone line. I had never been to an NHL game. Still... a month to wait for our first date? "Um... sure!" said I. And then I hoped that maybe he'd ask me to do something before then.

The next day, he called me at work and asked what I was doing that night. Truth be told, I was planning on having a couple of beers, a pizza, and watching a movie. But I said what any girl who wants to go out with a guy says to that question, "Oh, nothing much." (Yeah, really hard to get. I'm so good with the head games, aren't I?)

He asked if he could drive to Greensboro (where I lived at the time) and take me out somewhere. "Sure!" says I, again with the playing-hard-to-get. He arrived on time and almost immediately earned himself a black mark on the "potential life-mate" scorecard when he asked, "So... what do you want to do?"

For years... YEARS... I dated guys who never put a moment's thought into planning an actual date. There were a few exceptions... and one who never planned anything, but would wing it without shrugging his shoulders and saying, "I dunno... what do YOU want to do." Is it too much to ask that when a guy asks you out, he has some idea of what he wants to do?! Argh.

He did, however, have something of an excuse... he wasn't from 'round these parts, you see... so he didn't know what there was TO do. I would argue that Greensboro has all the date mainstays of any other medium-sized city... movie theaters, restaurants, go-karts... whatever. But, I cut him some slack... because I'm just that nice. And... he's pretty cute.

As we debated restaurants or movies or whathaveyou, he asked... "Well, what would you have done if I hadn't asked you out tonight?" I told him that I had been planning to watch Return of the Jedi, which my friend had let me borrow, since I hadn't seen it and Episode I was due out in a few months.

He fainted.

Well, no... he didn't faint. But he almost burst a blood vessel when he realized that he was actually talking to a person who had not, in fact, seen every Star Wars movie made to date, and in fact, had only seen Star Wars itself maybe four times. I'm surprised he didn't flee the premises. So now we're tied... one to one... for black marks against our characters.

He then insisted that we watch Jedi IMMEDIATELY and he even resisted the urge to recite the whole movie as it transpired. I was impressed. He kissed me. I let him. I even kissed him back. And then, if I remember correctly, he slept on the couch. I wouldn't let him drive back to Raleigh that late, but I wasn't ready to provide any other comforts, if you know what I mean.

So that is how we had two first dates... one month apart from each other... back in 1999. We did, in fact, go to the hockey game and I learned that NHL hockey really is that much better than minor league games.

Next up in the series... Chris pops the question. Look for it in about two weeks... the 10th anniversary of when he actually asked me.

Back Away From the Scissors

2009-03-20T20:37:00.003-04:00

Athena has a serious addiction.

Scissors.

She cannot get enough of their shiny, squeezy, sharp goodness. She's not really skilled with them... especially when it comes to doing her "homework." Each week, she is required to find pictures in magazines of things that start with the letter ________ and take them to school to show off to her friends and stick on the wall. (This week was "X." Seriously? X. Yeah... we forgot our homework this week.)

Anyway, the scissors thing has been a problem since her early 3's. She returned home from school one day missing a big chunk of hair off the side of her head. She and her friend Zachary "cut each other's hair." Apparently, although this doesn't appear to have been a contest, Zach won, as there was nothing noticeable missing from his head.

Months go by and it grows enough for us to cut it to hide the damage reasonably well.

She did it again several months ago right after we got her hair cut. She also cut Marcus' hair, which is especially impressive when you know he'd just had it buzzed. Looked like someone had tried to carve a design into his hair. This time at home. So we hid the scissors.

Marcus seems to have recovered completely (the boy drinks some serious milk) and Athena also seemed to have evened out. Apparently done with hair, Athena attacked Young MC's hockey net two weeks ago. Cut a huge hole in it. She says she is sorry, but I'm not buying it.

Leading us to yesterday. When I picked up the kids from daycare, they were playing outside. So before I collected them, I went into Athena's room to collect her belongings. Much to my dismay, in her folder of stuff to go home was a ziploc back with a large chunk of hair inside it. Just to clarify for me, they had clearly labeled it "Athena's Hair." Drat. Then, on her "report card" sheet, there was a note (copied as it... incl. punctuation errors, etc.):

"Mr. and Mrs. Caran,
I'm sorry to inform you that during nap time Athena
decided to cut her Hair. Ms. Monica and I spoke to Athena and she felt
very bad. If any questions please speak with me.

Thank you"

So since it was unsigned, I went to get Athena, assess the damage, and ask her teacher the first question that popped into my head, "Where in the blue hell did she get SCISSORS during NAP TIME?!"

Side note: I love how they don't sign their notes to me so I never know which of the rotating series of teachers in there throughout the day wrote the note.

I found Athena and asked her where she cut here hair. She held out her greatly decreased length of bangs. Actually, she didn't HAVE bangs... she does now. Here is the scariest part... it's not half bad. You can certainly see that they are uneven when you look hard, but upon a cursory glance, she doesn't look bad at all. I'm thinking from now on, we let her cut her own hair. She's happy. We save money. It's a win-win. But I digress...

I asked her teacher my innocent little question and was surprised to learn that Athena... with her history of NOT napping AND cutting her hair and the hair of those around her... was placed in the ART CENTER to nap. ooooooooookay.

So I went to Ms. Monica... the Center Director... with a little suggestion. "Um..." says I, quite eloquently. "Could we maybe consider NOT putting Athena in the art center at nap time?" Ms. Monica, whom I really do like and respect, came back at me with, "Yeah... that was the first thing I said when I learned of the incident." I'm pretty sure that had we been hanging out at the bar over a couple of cold beers, she would have added a "WTF were they thinking?!" But ever the consumate professional, she did not.

The icing on the cake? Today was picture day. This is the haircut that will live in INFAMY!!! Muahahahahaha....

And no, I haven't taken pictures. Yeah, I'm a slacker.

This Is Why I Don't Break the Law

2009-03-17T10:29:00.003-04:00

*sigh*

I got pulled for speeding. It's been at least ten years since the last time it happened. But it always happens in a trap of some sort. Wide, new road... ridiculously low speed limit. This time, it was a school zone.

The good news is... even though I was speeding in a school zone, he gave me a warning! That never happens! The only other time I got a warning was when a cop tried to stop me late at night and I was alone and I wasn't speeding (although I might have been speeding before he actually clocked me... I slowed down before I was in range of him... but that's just between you and me, okay?) In that case, he actually stopped me because he checked my tags and they weren't in his system yet (it was a new car... well... new to me).

Anyway, that's the good news. Hooray! The bad news? He gave me a ticket for my expired tags instead! Dude! I had no idea my tags were expired. I have not seen anything from the DMV telling me to renew. I know this because I've been on a "clean up the paperwork" kick lately, and I've pretty much touched every piece of paper lying around the house in the last ten days... either to file it or throw it away. Or pay it, of course... if it's a bill.

I do, however, have two small children... the eldest of whom has been very excited to get the mail lately. So I'm guessing that something didn't quite make it from the mailbox to the mail sorter back in December or so.

Yeah... the tags were REALLY expired.

Now, I do really tend to follow the law. It was not my intent to have expired tags, and I take full responsibility. The cop said I could just renew online, but frankly, I don't want to drive around for a minute more with expired tags. So I went to the DMV, stood in line for a whole 30 seconds, and got outta there. Guess with all the online business, the DMV isn't such a bad place anymore. At least not for tags.

So now I have my fresh new 2010 sticker on my tag and a pretty piece of paper telling me to show up in court with proof I fixed it. I could just pay the ticket and be done with it, but I've been told that sometimes if you show how responsible you are, they'll waive the whole thing. And I can honestly use that $146 for something else.

The interesting, wacky thing? I got stopped for speeding in a school zone today... March 17th... my son's 3rd birthday. My court date was set for April 30... Athena's 5th birthday. Okay, okay, Karma! I get it! No speeding in a school zone! My children will thank me! Got it!

Hmmmm...

2009-03-15T00:25:00.002-04:00

I thought I had a couple of good topics to free me from an seemingly unending combination of writer's block and stuff I cannot write about related to kids and work and my own personal emotional issues. I found my high school diary, which is just as painful to read as it is fascinating, and I also am commiting to a 5K event in September, which should lead to some interesting preparation and planning.

However, last night, just before I sat down to start writing, I was browsing Facebook and once again, I suddenly lost all desire to write. I'm hoping that just by writing that I don't want to write anymore, I'll suddenly want to. Using a little reverse psychology on myself.

Where Is Neverland When You Need It?

2009-02-06T19:34:00.002-05:00

Athena turns five at the end of April. On July 7, she will start kindergarten.

Wow.

Today, I registered her and expressed my preferences for tracks. Wake County Public School System has a large year-round contingent and we are excited to have the opportunity for our kids to go to school year round. If you are interested in how this works and you are a visual learner, here is the schedule.

But basically, the gist is... they still attend school the same number of days as anyone on a traditional calendar, but instead of one long break over the summer, they take four three-week breaks throughout the year. We are requesting Track 2, which is the least popular track, mainly because it only has seven days in common with the traditional school calendar. Many people prefer to have some days in common so they can travel with friends and family who are on traditional calendars. We have chosen not to take this into consideration, and rather look for the most consistent schedule (no really long breaks lasting more than three weeks... even around holidays). This is, IMHO, the best possible schedule for learning... preventing too many retention problems between school sessions.

When the kids are off, that is known as being "tracked out." I already have vacations planned during two of the Track 2 track-outs... so if we don't get it, we're kind of screwed. We won't find out until April sometime, so fingers crossed 'til then. Currently, our kids will be able to stay on a year-round schedule through middle school if we wish. Right now, all high schools follow a traditional calendar, and it's likely to remain so. I hear that's mainly because of high school athletics, but that doesn't make much sense to me. I think it's more about jobs and college than anything else.

Anyway, I'm trying to deal with the fact that Athena is starting school. I'm terribly excited and terribly sad at the same time. It definitely marks the end of an era... although at least I still have a couple more years to be in denial while Marcus grows up. Too fast.

2009-02-01T22:07:00.000-05:00

Superbowl fan

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Priorities

2009-01-28T21:06:00.002-05:00

Writing is on the wall, and we are considering some big changes 'round these parts. We're not moving or anything, but a career change is quite likely for me. Nothing is settled yet, but the possibility is both real and likely.

That said, I came home from work today after collecting the kids and managed to put together a square meal. (Yay, Dream Dinners!) As I cooked, the kids and Chris played and talked and watched Blue's Clues. Chris set the table and the kids eagerly sat and waited for their plates when they knew it was all just about ready.

They wolfed down their food, all the while nattering on about their days and about how they loved their dinner (except some bits of it, of course), and it was then that I really thought... hmmmmmmm... maybe this whole staying at home thing isn't the worst thing that could happen to me.

I really don't think we can afford it, but as the economy continues to put pressure on the world at large, I'm thinking that if the writing on the wall turns out to be the writing on a pink slip... well... if I can't find something else, maybe I could make it work.

In anticipation of this, we are talking about seriously cutting back. We have talked about this almost every January since we met, but this time, we are really going to have to do it. We aren't destitute. We'll still vacation and take the kids to movies and all that, but we are going to place values on those things. Vacation with the kids... very valuable. Eating every breakfast at Bojangles, negative value. Date night for mommy and daddy while kids have a sitter, quite valuable on occasion. Finding a sitter so Daddy can play D&D while mommy is at work... well, okay... just this once.

But seriously, we have a few months to see what we can do, even with the tremendous debt we have hanging over our heads. If these six months go well, maybe July won't be as bad if the shoe does indeed fall.

A Fresh Start

2009-01-25T07:56:00.002-05:00

This is not an apology for not posting very often lately. Hopefully, it's more of an explanation.

2008 was an interesting year. It wasn't so much "bad" as it was "private." Lots of issues in my own head to work out. Work was full of interesting things, but nothing I can post publicly. The kids have been funny and interesting, but again... I start to worry about their privacy. Lots of potty training headaches and behavioral blahs. I think I hit most of the high points in my posts from the past year, but I know it hasn't been a good year over all for The Mommy Librarian.

I plan to plug on with this, in the hopes that people who have stuck with me will continue to do so. Hopefully I will have more interesting things to say this year. The Quest for Hotness saw a setback over the holidays, but I'm rededicating myself before it gets any worse. The string of Disney trips is behind me. My sister has some news that, if it goes through, should make for some interesting blog fodder. Athena starts school in July (we are on a year-round schedule here) so that should be blogworthy. And at the end of the year, Chris and I will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary. The tenth anniversary of our first date is at the end of February, so perhaps over the year, I can reminisce about our years together. Won't that be fun?!

So don't give up on me. I believe all my psychological fretting is behind me and I'm running top speed from it. I'm also hoping to launch a blog devoted to Disney travel planning that will be separate from this one. Mainly to spare those of you who think my obsession is unhealthy, but also to put all those recent trips to some use for others. That blog will see regular (semi-weekly) posts and I've begun to stack them so that I won't be under huge deadlines there. We'll see how long that lasts. :-)

2009-01-10T09:17:00.001-05:00

Aileen did it! oh... and Ryan too.

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Well, This Explains It...

2009-01-07T07:08:00.002-05:00

My lack of blogging lately isn't necessarily because of Facebook or lack of material. It's simply been a wacky schedule with lots of vacation and time off interspersed with working on wacky work things. Since October, I have barely worked a single normal five day week and I've been working every other weekend since Thanksgiving. Breaking it down, starting with the week of October 5 and taking me through the end of January:

4.5 days on, 3.5 off
3 days on, 11 days off (Disney: Family Edition)
6 days on (two of them half-days), .5 off
3 days on, 3 off (MACE convention)
1 day on, 1 day off (Veteran's Day)
3 days on, 2 off (weekend)
5 days on, 2 off (a normal week and weekend!)
2 days on, 3 off (Thanksgiving)
6 days on (two of them half-days), 1 off
5 days on (two of them half-days), 5 off (Disney: Girlfriends Edition)
1 day on, 1 off (comp time for yet another weekend)
3 days on, 1 off
2 days on, 5 off (Christmas)
3 days on, 2 off (New Years)
5 days on (two of them half-days), 4 off (Disney: Marathon Edition)
4.5 days on, 3.5 off (MLK weekend)
4 days on, 2 off
5 on, 2 off (another normal week, and the turning point where life will seem to get back to normal)

That last week mentioned is the week of Jan. 25. No wonder I feel so disoriented!

There's a Monkey on That Dog! and Other Hockey Weirdness

2009-01-04T19:16:00.003-05:00

We never know what sort of "extra" entertainment we'll get at any given hockey game. Sometimes, it's nothing more than Chris getting an exceptional view of one of his favorite cheerleaders. Sometimes there are celebrity sightings like Clay Aiken singing the National Anthem or Squirrel Nut Zippers performing on the ice. Sometimes it's human bowling or hamster ball races. Really, the entertainment runs the gamut.

But every now and then, something really unusual happens. For instance, back in first or second season of the ESA, (now the RBC Center), the classic film "MVP: Most Valuable Primate" opened in theaters. As a special treat, the ice skating chimp who starred in that film made his rounds to all the NHL arenas. If I am not mistaken, the first arena he visited was ours.

Our seats are very close to where the national anthem is sung, which is also where most of the entertainers come out onto the ice, so we always get an up-close view of whatever they are dishing out that night. Now, monkeys of all sorts give me the heebies. They are right up there with clowns and other things that look "almost human." I don't like 'em. Euw.

So super-chimp hits the ice and does his skating schtick. I leaned as far away from him as possible as he entered then exited the ice. When it was over, I breathed a sigh of relief. But then, Chimpy McSkater's handlers approached us. They wanted to take a promo shot of the chimp in the seats like he was watching the game. More specifically... MY seat.

So we moved down to the front row and allowed the chimp to sit and have his picture taken. If Chris weren't so superstitious about sitting in his actual seat at all times, I would have asked him to switch chairs with me for the rest of the game. Instead, I faced my fear and sat in monkey germs for the final period, thinking the whole time about that hairy monkey butt on the very sit I was currently perched in.

Fortunately, there hasn't been another monkey at a game. Until Friday night, that is. The rodeo was in town on Saturday, so they were promoting it at Friday's game. One of the featured acts is a little tiny organ-grinder monkey that rides a dog. A border collie. With a saddle and everything.

When they rolled out the carpet onto the ice, I knew it must me some rodeo performer. I peeked over my neighbors and saw the dog. "OOOOOO! A dog!" I said, excitedly, hitting Chris repeatedly on the arm.

"Yes, it is a dog," says Chris, affirming my astute observation.

"Oh my God, there's a monkey on that dog," says I.

"So there is," says my husband, non-chalantly. Then we watched in fascinated horror as the monkey rode the doggie out onto the ice and back again. Weirdest. Thing. Ever.

In other hockey news, last week we attended a game and sat in Chris' boss' seats at center ice with Athena and Marcus. My sister and her husband had our seats. Since our seats are behind a goal, there is a big net to prevent stray pucks from shooting out into the crowd and ultimately through some innocent person's head. But the sides of the rink are net-free. It's rare that a puck will head off into the crowd that way, just because of the way the players shoot the puck, but it does happen. In fact, by some crazy, random happenstance, it happened last Saturday while we were sitting center ice.

I was looking down tending to Athena in some way or another. I looked up just in time to see the puck heading right for us. Chris was first in line for the trajectory of the puck's flight, so he turned his shoulder to block it from hitting either of our children (or me, I'd like to think). As luck would have it, the gentleman next to Chris took the brunt of the hit instead... right on his thumb. It bounced off Chris's shoulder, then my hand, right into the empty seats in front of us. Some jerk-face jumped into those seats from across the aisle to snatch the puck, and didn't even consider offering it to the guy whose thumb was now as black as night and as big as a zucchini. Honestly, I've never seen a bruise form so quickly in my life. It must have hurt like a mother.

So two oddities in one week of hockey. Not a normal week at all. But I'll always prefer a guy taking a hit with a puck to a dog-riding monkey. Always. Euw.

May I Feed Your Addiction?

2009-01-01T10:29:00.001-05:00

A coworker got me hooked on a blog called Cake Wrecks. I've been hooked for about a month now, and I simply can't keep this fabulous site to myself any longer. Go there. But I warn you... don't take a big sip of soda right before, because you will laugh so hard it will come out your nose.

Or in some cases, your jaw will drop in disbelief. I don't think there is a single reader of mine (out of all ten of you) who would not LOVE this blog.

Ghost Writer

2008-12-30T11:15:00.002-05:00

Another Disney blogger friend of mine was kind enough to allow me to write a guest post for him about my recent trip to Disney as part of the fan convention known as MouseFest. It's not as relevant to my non-Disneyphile friends as my guest post on Imaginerding back in May, but it's fun anyway. Check it out on Ryan's blog: The Main Street Gazette! (There are pictures!)

Entourage

2008-12-24T10:00:00.002-05:00

We lovingly refer to Marcus as "Young MC" or "MC MC." This is not because we have aspirations of him becoming the worlds next great white rapper -- though if he wants to make millions and support us for the rest of his life, I'm totally down with it. But honestly, it's just cute, because his initials are MC. However... it seems that at least part of the rapper lifestyle has become his hallmark. He has an entourage.

Young MC is fond of his zebra. For several months, he carried Zebra everywhere. So I bought him a second, with the idea that while one is in the wash, he'd still have one. Unfortunately, about two weeks into having two Zebras in the house, he discovered the second, and he then began insisting on having TWO Zebras with him at all times. As time marched on, he added random stuffed toys to this group... most notably, Mickey Mouse, Tigger, and various and sundry bears.

But it couldn't stop there. As his hockey fixation grew, so did his fixation with "hockey blanket"--a quilt-type blanket one of my mom's friends made for him when he was born. And of course, where there is a blanket, so must a pillow go.

Every morning, when Marcus wakes up, he totters into our room with full entourage. Sometimes it takes two trips, mind you, but before he will climb into bed with us, he assaults me with pillow and blanket, then adds Zebra one and Zebra two... then whatever other hangers on he has deemed worthy to start the day with him. Only then will he climb in and settle down, pressing his ice cold toes against my warm back.

The entourage also must watch television with him, and occasionally even makes it downstairs for breakfast. Explaining that his entire entourage cannot join him at school today is just another hurdle we have to jump in our daily routine.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out as he gets older. Will he have a gang of friends that he is ALWAYS seen with? Along with a few stragglers who sometimes make the cut and sometimes don't, depending on Young MC's mood? We'll be watching.

My Inner Child Runs the Place

2008-12-19T19:01:00.002-05:00

I have another opportunity to go to Disney--this time to see the marathon. I say "opportunity" because seriously, I wasn't planning to go, and two friends invited me to bunk in with them. It's an event I've always wanted to see, and now I'll know someone who is running. (Technically, she's running the half-marathon, but it's still a long freaking run). They invited me partially to save some money on their hotel stay presumably, but also because I'm just gosh darn fun to be around. Especially at Disney.

I'm kicking the idea around, and until tonight, was almost certain I would go. But I'm having second thoughts now. After all, I was just there this week. Monday, to be exact, and three weeks from today, I'd be smack in the middle of this upcoming trip. It's another trip without my kids or my husband. And really, at this point, I am not in need of another vacation. I am quite recharged and back on my feet.

But still, the lure is there. Disney World is my happy place. Most people don't get that. Several friends are launching an intervention, as they feel I have a serious problem. And honestly, I suppose I do. These friends that invited me... they get it. And hanging at Disney with people who "get it" is truly appealing.

So now I struggle. Do I act like a responsible adult, save the money (a small amount compared to any normal Disney trip), and stay home with my family? Or do I continue to let my inner child run free? Sure, it's important to be a responsible adult, but I have tons of responsibility day to day, and it's really nice to let go of it every once in a while. I don't ever want to become an uptight fussbag just because I lose touch with what it's like to ... well... lose touch.

My vices are few. I indulge in an alcoholic beverage from time to time. I stuff myself with fine food when I can. I'm tragically addicted to diet sodas. And I have Disney as my only drug of choice. Not bad, all things considered. And way cheaper than cocaine in the long run.

At least I can say that this decision is difficult to make. I'm not leaping carelessly nor am I saying "no" simply because it's the responsible thing to do. Chris has given me until tomorrow night to decide, because if I don't go, he is going out to buy my Christmas present Sunday morning. If I go, that's my Christmas present.

There are people out there trying to decide if they can afford to eat, and here I am mulling over whether or not to go to Disney. Again.

I suck.

2008-12-12T20:44:00.000-05:00

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2008-12-11T19:05:00.000-05:00

Jen's happy place

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2008-12-11T13:38:00.001-05:00

Ryan with two of the Main Street Girls

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I Stand Corrected

2008-12-09T17:05:00.002-05:00

As we crossed the parking lot at daycare this morning, Athena turned around and started walking backwards. (No cars were coming, don't worry). She beamed at me and the following conversation ensued:

Athena: Mommy, look at what I can do!
Me: Yes, Athena, that is awesome.
Athena: *beam*
Me: Watch out for the step up!
Athena: *turning around so she doesn't fall and bust her bum* Was that good, Mommy?
Me: Yes, Athena. You have some serious backward-walking skills!
Athena: I have one HUNDRED of skills!
Me: You have MAD skillz!
Athena: *after a thoughtful pause* No, Mommy! Not MAD skills! HAPPY skills!

We Need a Little Christmas... Wait, No We Don't

2008-12-07T11:03:00.002-05:00

I have totally screwed myself this year as far as the holidays go. Really. Starting with the Disney trip in October, it has been a 90mph luge event since then.

I have managed to purchase about six gifts... the ones for my kids' teachers. Other than that... nada. Chris and I bought something for Marcus at the hockey game earlier this week, but then found that grandma had made an identical purchase. Ours will now become the backup for when he loses parts of the first one.

Anyhoo... here is what our calendar has looked like since Disney... (each bullet is a different weekend)

Elizabeth works (which means Chris gets laundry done and barely hangs on to his sanity. Nothing much else can get done, as the kids stomp all over him).
Chris and Elizabeth go to High Point for their "anniversary trip" at a gaming convention, where they spend precisely four waking hours together within about 48 hours. Kids stay with grandma, though. That's a bonus.
"Free" weekend to pack and prepare for the upcoming onslaught.
Thanksgiving weekend, in which we go to Richmond, VA; Warrenton, VA; and back home, then I work Saturday and Sunday.
Elizabeth works (again)
Elizabeth is at Disney World (where she will obviously have to do some Christmas shopping)
Elizabeth works (again)
Christmas

Egads.

Friends told me recently that Chris and I run around so much... we're so busy... they don't know how we do it. I'll tell you how we do it...

Our house is a cluttered disaster. There are dishes in our sink at least 50% of the time. There is always laundry on the floor. Beds are only made once a week when I change the sheets. Our house is total chaos.

Chris and I agreed last night that this simply HAS to change. We cannot live like this. So I have five days off for Christmas. At least two of those should be kid-free as I will use the daycare for every last penny we pay them. I am going to roll up my sleeves, organize the house, and be sure systems are in place so it doesn't happen again.

Either that, or I'm going to be running to the stores to buy presents and wrap them.

And putting up the tree.

And taking down the Halloween decorations.

Egad.

Vote on the Next Caran Vacation

2008-11-30T08:18:00.003-05:00

Before kids, Chris and I started a project. We decided we wanted to see our hockey team play in every NHL arena. There are only 30, and we figured it was as good a way as any to see parts of the US and Canada we might never see. Unfortunately, it does mean going to cold places in the winter, but I think we can suck it up and deal.

We had a couple of really good years where we knocked out five "foreign" arenas on two coasts (Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, New Jersey, and Nassau C. on Long Island). Then the kids started gestating and being born, and we had to put things on hold. Still, that's one fifth of the arenas done. There are still some close by, and some not so close.

I now have a $50 credit on Southwest, and in the bad economy, we thought we might be able to get some good deals on travel. So we're thinking that we'll restart our project in 2009 with a long weekend somewhere. So... here are the possibilities. Which should we do?

Sat., Feb. 7 at Phoenix Coyotes - we could perhaps visit Jessey, but we'd want to take the kids, and that's a long flight. Still, we've never been to Phoenix.

Sun., Feb 15 at Buffalo - I've never seen the falls. And this is a big rivalry.

Sat., Feb 28 at Atlanta - This is close enough we could drive in a year where we didn't have plane fare. Also, Chris and I were just there in September. So I'm obviously not as interested in this.

Sat., Mar 7 at Tampa - Um, yeah... I'd totally make us go to Disney World if we did this. I'm just sayin'... it's only 90 miles or so.

Sat., Mar 14 at Washington, DC - Again, we can drive here, although if it's between Atlanta and Washington, I'd pick Washington. Lots for the kids to do there and we have lots of family and friends around there.

So which should we do? What do you think?

End of the Year Rush

2008-11-29T20:46:00.003-05:00

Brace yourselves. I'm going to Disney again. In about 11 days. Leaving on the 10th. And this time, no kids. Going with four girlfriends. For five days. So the pictures for this trip should be quite different than the last trip. And let me just say for the record, if my nose seems a little red, or my cheeks a little flushed in these pictures coming up, it's just that Florida sunshine. It has nothing to do with Jack Daniels. Nothing.

This is the end of our Fall/Winter 2008 rush. It started with the trip to Dragon*Con over Labor Day. Then the trip to Disney with the kids and the Gundlachs, then a smaller convention in High Point, then Northern Virginia for Thanksgiving. Now it's Disney again, and Christmas. If you don't think it seems all that hectic, keep in mind that I work every third weekend. So basically, if we are in town, I'm working. We even had to make the Northern VA tour short so I could work THIS weekend.

And sometime in this chaos, I have to go shopping for Christmas. Fortunately, it wasn't yesterday. People are crazy. Seriously.

So if my posts continue to be few and far between, it's because I don't really have much time to sit and write. The kids continue to be hilarious and frustrating at the same time, we continue to live and work and play, but we don't write so much.

Oh, and we play Rock Band. And let me just say, I am a pretty damn good drummer, if I do say so myself.

We've Got You Surrounded, Ma'am

2008-11-23T09:06:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was the UNC/NC State football game. If you aren't aware, this is a big rivalry. Any game between UNC, NC State, or Duke is always huge because they are all within 20 miles of each other... making for excellent war games. It also means many people manage to marry "across the borders," so to speak, and Chris and I are one of those couples. I've written about it before, but I'm currently too lazy to look up my previous post.

Anyway, back to yesterday. UNC (aka "the Heels," "Carolina," or "The Good Guys" -- I will use those terms interchangably) was completely murdered on the field by NC State (aka "State," "Pack," "Wolfpack," or "bloody hicks." You can tell where my loyalties lie). Murdered. Sliced open and eaten for dinner. It was bad. Seriously.

As it happens, we were expecting company last night for dinner, so as we watched the game, I baked a cake. Then, our friends called us to cancel. They had pulled "an Elizabeth," which means they totally planned two things for the same night without ever really putting together that both things could not actually happen at the same time unless they cloned themselves and their kids.

Since our kids had been Jonesing for some time with other creatures their own age, we scrapped dinner and headed out to Monkey Joes... a bounce house place where the kids can run around, scream, and generally cause a ruckus without destroying our home.

It was very crowded. Lots of people in red State and light blue Carolina shirts milling about. Obviously, this was a promise made to many small children forced to sit in a freezing cold stadium for three hours... "If you sit quietly through this, we'll go to Monkey Joes!"

Anyway, after an hour of battling the bajillion small people, we left and went to Gypsy's Shiny Diner, a Cary landmark that is, as you would expect, a shiny diner. We were seated promptly and fed a little less promptly. As we were digging into our burgers and corn dogs, a table of folks all in red were seated close to us. And now begins my own personal version of "The Birds."

I could tell from the conversation these guys had with the waitress that they were regulars, and that they were expecting more. Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, four more red shirts showed up and sat at the table beside us. Five minutes later... four more appeared at the booth adjacent to us, right behind Chris and Marcus. Soon, another four diagonally behind us, and sure enough, another four directly behind me. It was at this point that I could read some of the red shirts, and I learned that this was, in fact, the NCSU Marching Band and not, unfortunately, a particularly gruesome Star Trek episode.

The enemy was here. And they had won. Soundly. And they had me completely surrounded.

I looked up at Chris, and could tell he was reading my mind. I saw immediately that in his own Borgian way, he had already mind-melded with my antagonists and was enjoying the process. All I could say was, "Um... I'm actually starting to feel a little unconfortable." He laughed.

I excused myself to take Athena to the restroom. While I was gone, he completed his assimilation and informed the red shirts of my loyalties. They didn't say anything immediately when I returned, but when Chris got up to pay the bill... it started.

"Shhhhhhh... It's the Heels fan..."
"Don't look directly at her..."
"No, look at her... it will freak her out..."

All in good fun... I hope.

Regardless, I hightailed it out of there before they could peck my eyes out.

Like This Is a Surprise

2008-11-21T16:56:00.000-05:00

Elizabeth's Dewey Decimal Section:

649 Child rearing & home care of persons

Elizabeth = 529612508 = 529+612+508 = 1649

Class:
600 Technology

Contains:
Health, agriculture, management, public relations, buildings.

What it says about you:
You are creative and inspired to make the world a better place. You can work hard on something when it catches your interest. Your friends have unique interests in common with you.

Find your Dewey Decimal Section at Spacefem.com

Yeah... Boring

2008-11-19T22:53:00.002-05:00

I've been doing a lot of introspection, thinking, mulling, and generally non-bloggable stuff. I could tell you all about it, but it would only leave you praying for all that time I wasn't posting to repeat.

We're gearing up for the holidays... Since the Disney trip in October, it's just pretty much "on" until the end of the year. Chris and I attended a friend's gaming convention in High Point two weeks after we got back from Disney. Just before that, Marcus had pneumonia (he's better, but not tip top yet -- and I'm almost positive he has asthma). Just before THAT, I had strep. Cut back to now, and Athena has what might have been a sinus infection. So yeah... sickness for everyone. And it's not just us. Basically, everyone in Raleigh seems to be battling something or other on the germ front.

The economic crisis is finally hitting my corner of the world. Because this is such a popular place to live right now, we haven't seen a lot of the problems the rest of the country has been facing, but last month, the county announced a hiring freeze and this month, some drastic cuts to the budget. No jobs have been sacrificed yet, but I'm not going to do anything so naive as post something like "my job is safe." Crap, I just did. Well, you know... I didn't mean it.

Chris and I have been married nine whole years now. Our anniversary was last week. We celebrated it by being a good 300 or so miles apart. But I don't mind. Next year is the 10-year mark, and we have big plans.

Anyway, life is moving quickly here. I'll try to keep you up to speed, but really, it might just make you tired.

A Special Day

2008-10-31T20:36:00.001-04:00

Today is the birthday of the sexiest man I know. Fortunately, it is also Chris' birthday, so I can say that with immunity. You still have some time to wish him a happy one, if you haven't already!

2008-10-25T11:06:00.000-04:00

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2008-10-25T09:22:00.001-04:00

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Streetmosphere

2008-10-24T14:48:00.001-04:00

We enjoyed the Streetmosphere before the Block Party Bash... which was terribly disappointing, by the way.

Off To Endor

2008-10-24T13:04:00.002-04:00

Our Scores On Midway Mania

2008-10-24T11:03:00.001-04:00

NOT saying who.

A Rainy Day at Hollywood Studios

2008-10-24T08:51:00.002-04:00

From Wishes To Sweet Dreams

2008-10-22T20:27:00.001-04:00

Last Chance to Exit Before You Get Soaked!

2008-10-22T12:43:00.002-04:00

Mommy, I Pooped!

2008-10-22T11:38:00.003-04:00

On Tom Sawyer Island

2008-10-22T11:38:00.002-04:00

Waiting for the Boat to the Magic Kingdom

2008-10-22T08:26:00.002-04:00

Welcome Home

2008-10-21T11:27:00.002-04:00

The Valet at Boardwalk

2008-10-21T00:01:00.002-04:00

He lost the key for the door to the booth. Kind of scary that he also had the key to my car.

Kathryn's New Ink

2008-10-20T20:56:00.002-04:00

Kathryn's new ink

My New (Temporary) Ink

2008-10-20T20:44:00.002-04:00

Leaving Epcot

2008-10-20T13:35:00.001-04:00

The Princess Awaits Test Track

2008-10-20T10:12:00.002-04:00

The Adventurer's Club Is No More

2008-10-19T21:42:00.001-04:00

All that remains is the building and a lone musician to entertain passers by.

Devine Spotted

2008-10-19T10:19:00.002-04:00

This is actually the first time I've ever seen this performer. I've heard tons about her, and she is truly something to see. Chris' reaction? "She's pretty hot."

On Safari

2008-10-19T09:48:00.002-04:00

Tusker House Has a Rodent Problem

2008-10-19T09:01:00.001-04:00

Athena and Marcus reacted much better to the characters on this trip.

Tinkertoy Boy

2008-10-18T18:30:00.002-04:00

View From the Fifth Floor of the Villas at Wilderness Lodge

2008-10-18T16:22:00.002-04:00

We're here and unpacked. The view from our fifth floor room.

Glory, Hallelujah

2008-10-18T08:34:00.003-04:00

SC I95 EXIT 8

Early Morning at the Hotel Before Continuing on to Disney

2008-10-18T06:45:00.001-04:00

Early am @ the hotel.

The Crib

2008-10-17T15:37:00.001-04:00

We are so loving this minivan.

Confusion

2008-10-17T14:27:00.001-04:00

Athena insisted this was the proper way to use her travel pillow. We document it here for the upcoming instruction manual.

And We Shall Blog It, And It Shall Be Good. We Hope.

2008-10-15T21:29:00.003-04:00

We leave to visit my main man, The Mouse, on Friday. We're taking Aiden's family with us as well. And a babysitter! YAY! I will post pics of our trip to The World as we live it to the best of my ability. I have many friends who live-blog, and their pictures always look so great. I think my camera on my phone is just kind of sub-par. But hopefully one or two will come out decent.

I am also hoping to make movies each day like I did last June, but the problem with that is that Vista and Windows MM have not been playing well together on my new laptop. We'll see if I can beat that issue, but for now, live blogging might be the best you can get from me.

I am battling a cold at the moment. Although I would rather have the cold now than on vacation, I am finding it hampers my ability to accomplish the bajillion things needing accomplishing before we go. Tomorrow night, we face laundry, packing, and cleaning out my car. Friday morning, the car will get a bath and I will get a mani/pedi (a vacation tradition). We're hitting the road about 1pm. The photos should start appearing around then. I'm sure 10 hours in the car (split over two days) will provide enough interesting fodder to keep you checking back.

Maybe.

Probably not. But at least I'll have pics uploaded when I get back!

Before Ballet Class

2008-10-11T09:56:00.001-04:00

Athena has taken to "modeling" whenever we take her picture. She does coy, over-the-shoulder looks and she poses her arms funny. She thinks she is being pretty. Sometimes, the photo comes out quite well. But more often, she just looks a bit silly... like here.

Stormy the Ice Hog. For reals.

2008-10-10T20:46:00.003-04:00

Warm-ups!

2008-10-10T18:33:00.002-04:00

Some Library Humor

2008-10-06T13:54:00.003-04:00

One of my colleagues directed me to this about a month ago, and I'm just now getting around to posting it. Welcome to my world...

Family Values

2008-09-28T20:37:00.002-04:00

Today, Athena went shopping with me at the local warehouse store. As we were leaving, she noticed a young man with dreds pulled back in a ponytail. She commented to me, "Mommy, he has a ponytail!"

"Yes, he does, honey!"

"But boys can't have ponytails! That's silly!"

At this point, I explained to her that boys can have long hair OR short hair... whatever they prefer. Just like girls can have long or short hair.

She thought about this, and started noticing people around us... how they all had different lengths of hair. Somehow, this led into some musings on how to tell boys and girls apart. This transitioned into a conversation that I've been waiting for... but not the conversation you THINK it turned into.

She said something about how people always have a mommy AND a daddy. I told her that actually, sometimes people have two mommies or two daddies. And some people only have a mommy or a daddy. All of those different families are still families... but they all love each other just as much.

She said, "Yes. I have a mommy and a daddy though."

"Yes, you do."

"And you love me."

"I love you so much."

"All mommies and daddies love their kids."

"Yes. All kinds of families all love each other."

"I love you, Mommy."

"I love you too, sweetie."

Some Tidbits From My Day

2008-09-22T20:42:00.003-04:00

(Overheard at a meeting to determine the nominees for the Wake Reads Together Program this year)
Librarian 1: So what is the theme that ties these two books (Year of Wonders and Fever 1793) together?
Librarian 2: Death
Librarian 3: Death after long and horrible suffering
Librarian 1: So, is that really programmable?
Librarian 4: We could have a mortician show the kids how to make a body look good after being ravaged by disease!
Librarian 1: Right. Moving on...

(Overheard in the car on the way home)
Athena: MOooooooooooooooooom! I dropped my CRACKER!
ME: We'll get it when we get home.
Athena: I can't reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeach it!
ME: When we get home!
Athena: Can we stop so I can unbuckle and get it?
ME: No.
Athena: *sigh* I wish I had a flying cracker.

(Overheard at Dinner)
Marcus: *Pointing at his mashed potatoes* Dangerous!

UPGRADE: Athena's bed time music selection includes These Boots Are Made for Walkin'!
DOWNGRADE: It's the Antonio Banderas version from Shrek. So much for Grrrl Power.

Now I KNOW the Economy Is Bad

2008-09-20T07:55:00.003-04:00

I treat myself every so often to a lunch of fried shrimp and hushpuppies at a local restaurant here in Apex. They have won recognition in particular for their fish sandwich. It has been honored in several local publications as a "Best Value" because it's huge and cheap. Their shrimp is also a decent value... $7.99 for about 14 medium shrimp with a pile o' fries and three hushpuppies, plus a soda.

They have a self-serve soda fountain, but they have always had an annoying sign on it that said "Refills are only for dining in the restaurant," which made me wonder if they really had a problem with people coming in off the street (this is near a highway intersection... not a pedestrian area) and filling up their mugs with Pepsi products. But whatever. I would drink my drink in the restaurant, then refill, put a lid on the cup, and take the soda back to work with me to hold me through the afternoon. My conscious is clear. I don't see this as soda abuse.

So I went back yesterday for the first time in several weeks. I placed my order, and they handed me a cup that was HALF the size of the ones they used to have. Probably a 12 oz. cup. I looked at it and said, "I think this is the wrong size cup." He said, "It's the only size we have. It's right." And I could tell from his voice that he had answered this question a million times... and I knew what had happened. Apparently, the owner has decided to cut costs, and he thinks the soda is what is doing him in. Well... that and the hushpuppies, which were half the size THEY used to be. And the cocktail sauce, which was in the same size little ramekin, but it was only half full. And they used to give you TWO ramekins, but I was only offered one.

I was pleased that I didn't seem to be getting less shrimp or fries. But I have to wonder. Does he really think those items are affecting his bottom line that much?

Past, Present, and Future

2008-09-19T21:07:00.003-04:00

Forgive me... this may ramble a bit.

Facebook has put me in touch with some people from my past who, in many cases, I had never expected to hear from again. It has made me reflect a great deal on my past lately--who I really am, and how I became that person. I've often wondered if I made good decisions in my life, and if those decisions really led me down the right path. Honestly, more often I've wondered how I got so freaking lucky that I DID make the right decisions, and I didn't end up married to evil emotionally destructive boyfriend from my mid-twenties or Navy guy from my college days. And I really love looking back at events in my life and seeing how they shape decisions I make today.

It takes many women a long time to come to terms with who they are and actually love themselves. I've been fortunate, in that I've been surrounded my whole life by friends who are supportive and real. I have managed to avoid a large amount of backstabbing, catfighting, and mudwrestling. (Sorry... but I wanted to be sure my male readers were still with me).

Anyway, as I reconnect with people who I have known for a TERRIBLY long time... who knew me before I learned to love myself and before I had really formed my own identity... I am amazed at how well they actually do know me. My inner core really hasn't changed that much. And as I am prodded to remember a moment from first grade (which I still remember SO clearly it's frightening)... just one moment when I first met someone... I marvel at how I can recall my little six-year-old mind processing what was happening, and my ability to realize that this person I was meeting... this was a good person. And this person would mean something to me later in my life. Even though I had no concept of what my life would be.

I see it in my kids too. I see their inner core. I watch them process new information and explore the world to figure out where they fit in. It's magical. And the perspective it gives on my own life... it's hard to explain. I am so excited to see what they choose. I'm fearful, yes, but I see their hearts right now... their true selves. And I love what I see. With hearts like theirs, I know it is all going to be just fine.

And Then One Day It Happened

2008-09-15T15:53:00.002-04:00

Athena was put under a fair amount of pressure to move up to her big girl bed. We did everything we could to make it enticing. Painted the walls purple... got a new bedroom set... the list goes on. But it was several months after the room was completed (about five) before she finally said she wanted to go there. Now, she was between 18 months and 2 years old at the time. But we needed her to make the change to free up the crib for Young MC. He was born in March, and she moved into her bed around May. Fortunately, it was just before we really felt we had to put Mr. Man in his own room. So everything went swimmingly, and both kids loved their new digs.

Marcus is now approaching 2 1/2, and until last night, he showed no interest in the toddler bed we assembled opposite his crib in his room about six months ago. He is a burrower... loves to be snuggled down in many blankets and with every stuffed animal he possesses (which is a truckload, I assure you). He has not really attempted to climb out of the crib except once or twice when he was feeling particularly brave, bold, and not-so-bright.

Then, last night, out of nowhere, he told Daddy he wanted to sleep in his big boy bed. And that was that. I suspect that Seneca, our babysitter, had been talking to him about it earlier that day because I noticed a lot of his stuff was already moved over there. But sure enough, he hunkered down and slept... almost all night.

He got up at 4am and wandered toward our room. Unfortunately for him, he left his toy broom in the floor and tripped on it, causing himself great pain. I only wish that the cause/effect lesson would sink in, but I'm sure he will leave it lying out tonight too. The funny thing is, since I never think that Marcus might be walking the halls at night, I assumed it was Athena. I went in to offer to get some cough medicine for the awake one, and almost barged into Athena's room thinking that's where Daddy was doing all the comforting. Fortunately, Chris appeared just before I made that error and we avoided having TWO sleepy but awake and grumpy children.

So now we start talking about converting the crib into a bed, and buying a mattress and boxspring. Right after I had the A/C repaired today. And we still have to deal with the roof and subsequent interior repairs.

Perhaps I should have taken that other job. *sigh*

Twinkle Toes

2008-09-10T20:34:00.002-04:00

Athena had her first ballet class today. I was hoping to post millions of pictures of little 4 and 5 year-olds in pretty pink ballet dresses and tights and shoes, but alas. I carefully chose a "serious" ballet school where Athena could learn really good technique and form, and they frown on parents ooohing and aaahing over the wee ones. The windows all had sheer drapes on them so we really couldn't see in very well. Many times, I wasn't even sure which kid was mine.

She will not normally take class on Wednesdays. Today was a make-up day for last Saturday. This "serious" ballet school apparently got scared of the rain that fell because of Hanna, so they cancelled morning classes. It's kind of too bad too, because Athena really liked this teacher. If it turns out that she doesn't like the Saturday instructor, I will probably move her to the Tuesday morning class... same instructor as Wednesday.

I didn't get to see everything they did, but she learned to plie... they went through all the foot positions, and she walked with a beanbag balanced on her head. Well, it was balanced MOST of the time.

I was overjoyed to see her enjoy the class. When I asked her what her favorite part was, without hesitating, she responded, "All of it!"

Now I just have to get myself back into it. Still need to shed some more weight before considering it though. I like my knees just the way they are, thank you very much. No need to go and tear them up.

The Roof, The Roof...

2008-09-06T04:43:00.003-04:00

Our roof is leaking. It's 4:43 am. It was 4am when I heard the water coming in.

It's a small leak thus far... two places where water is coming into the upstairs area. Water damage to the plaster. Can't see where it's coming in though. We went into the attic... see no point of entry.

Called insurance company. Called roofer. Can't sleep. Drip... drip... drip...

Ah, Hurricane Hanna. You shall be remembered.

Fangs for the Memories!

2008-08-31T11:04:00.002-04:00

My new choppers! Had them made this morning. Scared?

Off to Dragon*Con

2008-08-27T20:17:00.002-04:00

I'm leaving for Dragon*Con in the morning with a coworker. I'm hoping she will blog with me here as we need to do a staff training when we get back covering what we learn at the conference. Some of what we learn will of course be literature geek stuff. But some will be more interesting to the world at large... like what movie stars were there!

I'll try to post regularly throughout the con, but didn't want to take up space here since many of you who read this won't care. But head over to the other blog over the next five days to see what we see if you are one of the few who are.

Experiment with Mobile Blogging

2008-08-27T15:59:00.002-04:00

Well, I sent this picture from my phone then came back in and edited it. The first post was rough because Verizon tacks on an add, but it looks like this might be successful!

Life... In a Nutshell

2008-08-27T05:38:00.002-04:00

The past few months have been rather tumultuous for me. I've made some rather large, life-altering decisions and I've been building some new friendships at the same time. This is, of course, exhausting work for introverted little old me, but it does feel good to be taking some risks and putting myself out there. I wasn't blogging so much when I first became a mom, although Chris does have some of my writing from that time archived somewhere. Still, the point is, it wasn't an easy transition for me. I am way more comfortable in my own skin with no responsibility for taking care of the skin (or any other parts) of others. So there were many days in those first few months of Athena's life where I wept in mourning for my old life.

I think all the mid-life crisising and changing going on in my life now is a result of the shift I'm seeing in my children. We are moving into the part of their life where they don't need me to do every little thing for them. Athena finally seems to be getting the whole potty thing (although we aren't done there yet) and even Marcus is showing very promising signs of being trained soon. Athena sometimes helps Young MC put on his shoes and he is trying to dress himself, sometimes quite successfully. Athena even mastered buckling her own seatbelt the other day, which I KNOW she has been able to do, but she has been stubbornly refusing to do it. Suddently, that is all better. And I am seeking to reclaim some of what I was before... the actress, the dancer, the traveler.

I know I should be a little sad that the baby years are over, and I suppose if you insist, I will tell you that I do miss them a little. I look back at the pictures and remember the feeling of that warm, snuggly baby sleeping in my arms. But then I also remember that said baby kept ME from sleeping and I sort of, you know... get over it.

Because of my job and my personality, Chris is the de facto parent in charge. I am capable of parenting, but he gets the bulk of that work because he is more patient than I and because, let's face it, he's here more than I am. My share of the work tends to fall on keeping the household running and making sure there is food on the table. I've been shirking my duties of late because the turmoil in my life (mid-life psychoses, writing performance evaluations, making friends, and dealing with infecting body piercings all factor in here) has been so distracting and exhausting. I spent a good deal of Monday afternoon (which I had off work) just stumbling around the messy, chore-filled house trying to figure out where to start.

So today, I am working another half day. Tomorrow, I am heading to Atlanta for Dragon*Con. I am really hoping that this afternoon I can get a little accomplished at home so I don't feel like such a slug. The infection is treated and only a little irritation is left. My abdomen still has to recover a bit from the antibiotics, but that's not bad. I should have enough stability now to move forward.

I hope...

Hazards of Mid-Life Crises

2008-08-22T22:43:00.003-04:00

Well, wouldn't you know it? About two days before I hit the 30 day mark on my piercing, I get the beginning of what would soon become a nasty little infection. Very few piercings result in infection. Unfortunately, belly piercings are more likely than most (although obviously there are piercings in more ... um... hard to clean areas that get infected a lot too). And double-unfortunately, mine has become one of them.

Over the weekend, I started getting some twinges of pain that told me something was wrong, but the piercing has been a little angry ever since I got it, so I figured it was just that. A little redness... no biggie.

By Tuesday, the ooze had begun. This is totally just as gross as it sounds. When I first got pierced, I was told that there would be some oozing initially and to just keep cleaning it. I was pleased to find that I had no oozing at all. I took this as a good sign! Apparently, I was wrong.

So anyway, on Tuesday, I called the piercing place and told them my plight. I described the situation, and they asked me to come in. Needed to see it first hand before making any sort of judgement.

I went in, and they agreed that it was not (yet) an infection, but had potential. Oh yeah, my overachieving white blood cells... gotta love 'em! Anyway, they changed out my nice sparkly jewelry for a plain, longer barbell to accomodate the swelling, gave me instructions for a salt soak (three times a day for ten minutes a pop) and sent me on my way.

I began my soaks, and found the easiest way to do them was in a nice tub of warm water. Wednesday night, when I finished my soak and pulled the drain on the tub, I stood up only to hear a distinct *ting* on the tub floor. I looked down, and there was the barbell, with no closure. The other ball on the bar had apparently immediately gone down the drain. Dammit.

This early into the piercing (up to three months), they suggest that you come in to have them change out the jewelry, so even if I had wanted to do it myself, I really needed to have them do it. Just looking down at the oozy hole was enough to convince me there was no WAY I was going to do it, and so I got dressed, jumped in the car, and headed into town.

When I got there, someone was getting her nipple ring changed out. It was not someone I really wanted to see get a nipple ring changed, but it was interesting nonetheless. Then it was my turn. He cleaned the wound, replaced the barbell with a new ball and sent me on my way. And oh, there was pain and discomfort, my friends.

They told me to come back today so they could look at it and be sure it wasn't becoming an infection. I headed in thinking that I was feeling much better actually, and the salt soaks really seem to be working. This demonstrates how unrealistic I am. He looked at it, took the barbell out, did some squeezing, and declared my piercing officially infected. JOY!

Because he is holistic, he recommended continuing the salt soaks for another 24 hours before resorting to evil antibiotics. I did actually consider this. But that would mean that if the salt soaks did NOT work, I would be going to Urgent Care on a Sunday morning before I had to be at work. Not cool. So I sort of flipped a coin.

I left a message for my doctor's nurse with details of my situation and requested that she call in a prescription for me. If she needed me to come in first, well... I couldn't do that as I was in meetings the rest of the day. I'd opt for Urgent Care on Sunday and go forth with my hippie salt soaks. She called me back quickly and said, "No worries... I'll call it in."

So now I have a Z-Pac. And I'm looking forward to being infection-free within 72 hours. Sure, I feel bad that I cheated a bit. I know antibiotics aren't great for me in the long run. But seriously. Did I mention the ooze? This totally needs to go away. Now.

Bear With Me

2008-08-21T21:30:00.001-04:00

Sorry, guys! I'm still here. I've been writing performance evals at work and that has pretty much used up all my writing energy. I'll try to catch you up on the goings on over the next few days.

Not tonight though. My piercing has gotten very angry... almost to the point of infection... and it has me feeling a bit out of sorts. But soon! Once the long salt rinses have had more time to work. :-)

Everybody Cha-Cha!

2008-08-12T08:15:00.003-04:00

My friend Jen is considering joining my gym, so Monday night, I brought her along to a class of her choosing. This is the first time I've taken a class in about a year. I love their Hip-Hop class on Thursday nights and intend to restart, but I haven't taken any other classes. Jen also would have chosen Hip-Hop, but she is currently working Thursday nights. So instead, we picked Latin Fusion. Class is Mondays at 7, which is actually a very good time for me to take a class.

We got there super early in anticipation of her being assaulted by a "Member Consultant" to pressure her to join. However, as luck would have it, none were available. So instead, we sat outside the studio for thirty minutes gossiping, which is of course what going to the gym with a friend is all about.

We were both fairly certain the class would kick our butts. Both of us have a dance background, but for me at least, that background is pretty far back. Ten years now. However, as class started, I realized that I did, indeed, have enough basic coordination to do the moves pretty well. We were also fortunate that the class wasn't very crowded. Many of the classes are almost unpleasantly cramped, since the gym is so large, but not this one. So we had some freedom to spread out and, if necessary, accidentally go left when the instructor says to go right.

So about fifteen minutes into the class, she and I were both thinking... this is awesome! Fun! We should find some salsa dancing when we are at DisneyWorld in December! Then about fifteen minutes later, we were like... uh... when did our heart rates get to be about 200? Salsa dancing? What was I thinking? Salsa is for chips!

But at the end of the class, we both agreed it was a great one. I couldn't do a lot of the ab work at the end due to my still-healing piercing (no crunches until mid-October), and I felt a bit fortunate for that as I watched Jen get through the set. Still, I'm sure it will pay off.

My plan now is to continue going every other day, and just incorporate the classes in as the day comes up... so this week Latin Fusion on Monday, next week, Hip-Hop on Thursday. The rest of the time, continue the treadmill and the weights. Again, the weight isn't dropping off as much as I would like, but I see huge improvements, both in my measurements and in my energy level. And really, as long as I look and feel healthy, I really don't care too much about how much I weigh.

Overheard at My House

2008-08-09T19:05:00.002-04:00

Chris had hockey the other night... his last game of the season. He was up for Highest Points in the League. And he was playing the team with the other guys who were closest to catching up. But he had a good lead, and all they had to do was keep the top guys from getting lots of points as individuals.

They did manage to do that... but just barely. And they lost terribly. So Chris was feeling a bit dejected, but okay. He finished telling me about the game, then went to take a shower. Upon exiting the shower, we had the following conversation:

Me: Feeling better

Chris: Somewhat. I'm cleaner at least.

Me: True. And you know what they say. Cleanliness is next to...

*dramatic pause*

In Unison (because I have lived with this man long enough to know...): Me.

Here Comes the Hotness

2008-08-07T20:49:00.005-04:00

I've been going to the gym every other day for just over a month now. Even though I haven't shed a lot of pounds, my shape has definitely changed for the better. Tonight, I decided to put it to the test.

I went to my closet and pulled "it" out. For some women, it's that pair of perfect jeans that they can only really wear when they are at their favorite weight. For some, it's a slinky black dress. For me... it's the red sparkly shirt.

I bought this shirt in San Francisco in May of 2005. It was on sale at BCBG for $100. I had to have it. I kept walking away from it and coming back to it. I mean... it's red. (gimme) It's sparkly. (gimme) It's a halter shirt. (whoa, nelly! The "ladies" cannot really "do" halters.) So I tried it on. This was about a year after I had Athena and I was still pretty skinny from nursing. I'd put a little back on, but not all of it. I looked awesome. Seriously. So I bought it.

Then I got knocked up. Fortunately, everyone loves a pregnant belly nowadays, and the shirt is stretchy, so I wore it for the Annual Caran Holiday Party. No. I didn't wear it. I rocked it. I totally LOVE this shirt.

Then Young MC came along and the pudge could not do "the shirt" justice. I had to put it away. Tonight, I pulled it out. I told Chris I just wanted to try it... to see how far I had to go. I want to wear it at the next Annual Holiday party (not until January), and maybe on a vacation or two before that if I can pull it off.

I put it on. Chris' eyes bugged out. In a good way. Like, in the "Look at that hot chick from Battlestar Galactica wearing nothing but a thong" kind of way.

It's going to Dragon*Con with me in a few weeks. It's going to Disney with me in October. It's going everywhere with me if there is even the slightest possibility I can dress up. I would wear this shirt every day if I could. I am so freaking happy right now that I have my red shirt back. WOOT!

Books and Meme

2008-08-05T22:29:00.001-04:00

Jumping on the Jessey Bandwagon!

I resisted the STRONG temptation to make comments… especially when technically some works are named twice. (Last time I checked, Hamlet was included in the Complete Works of William Shakespeare.)

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you love.
4) Strike out the books you have no intention of ever reading, or were forced to read at school and hated.
5) Reprint this list in your own blog.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 The Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma- Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte's Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

I Rest My Case

2008-08-02T21:06:00.002-04:00

It's not that I don't like housework. I'm just doing what's best for my kids.

Overly Clean Homes May Up Risk of Bowel Disease

Quest For the Hotness: Mile Marker Three

2008-07-31T07:41:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday, Harry Potter! And here we are at Mile Marker Three.

So, at first glance, it would seem that the quest is a total failure. Today, I weighed in at 206. My goal for this day was 190. But I'm not discouraged. Here's why...

I haven't been watching my food intake. At all. I've been eating and drinking what I please. I am trying not to eat when I'm not hungry, and I've been doing a little portion control... but only a little. For the most part, I've been eating like a normal person. With a little stress eating thrown in... particularly during that whole "decision week."

The reason I've lost weight at all (on the 7th I was 208) is my slavish devotion to the gym. Ever since July 5, I have been to the gym every other day, with only two exceptions. Both times I made exceptions, it was because I simply couldn't get there on that day... no matter how I rearranged my schedule. Once we were completely out of town.

So each visit to the gym means 30 minutes on the treadmill and almost always at least a little time on the machines. Unfortunately, my piercing (yes... it's mine) means I had to eliminate crunches from my workout until mid-October when it is considered completely healed. I had gotten up to 100. So, my piercing still rests on a slightly flabby belly. But if I can keep this up, and maybe even do better with food, that won't be an issue for too long.

Historically, I've always lost my belly fat first, but I think after two children it won't be so easy. Another reason I'm not discouraged is that several people have said that it looks like I've lost weight. And that's really what matters, right?

So damn the torpedos, man! Full speed ahead!

For Those Who Thought Libraries Were Boring...

2008-07-28T10:11:00.002-04:00

Okay, okay... laugh all you want at the Wizard Rock concept. But take a minute to look at this. For anyone who worries that kids don't think reading and libraries are cool, this will prove you wrong. For anyone that thinks that there is nothing more awesome than seeing a bunch of people jumping around having a good time without any controlled or illegal substances... you will love this. Personally, I just think it's neato.

Of Bats and Big Decisions

2008-07-22T21:30:00.002-04:00

Today was a big day.

First, I got a haircut. It's cute. Too bad it will never look this good again, since my hairdresser won't come do my hair every morning. I sure wish I had a hairdresser at my beck and call. That'd be sweet.

Anyway, then I went home and sent an email to decline the job offer. Yep, I turned down lots of money to continue on as a public servant. And I feel good about that.

Ten minutes after I sent the email, I got a call from work. A bat had flown into the library. Yes, a bat. (My theory is movie promotion, but what do I know?) Animal Control and the police were there, but they really wanted to talk to a manager. There wasn't one to be found. Could I come in early?

Abso-freaking-lutely I can. You don't get bat extermination in the corporate world. They can't deal with the elevators.

Is this a sign?

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

2008-07-20T11:59:00.002-04:00

After years of staying in contact with my former employer (from my pre-blogging days), something I never REALLY thought would happen has happened. In quite a whirlwind move, I have been offered a job. Technically, it's my old job... or a piece of it, plus a new job... well... new to me. These have been mushed together to match my skill set really nicely.

Some history: My old job was in corporate America, but working in the field of Library Science... namely large computer databases. We're talking REALLY large. More than 14 terabytes of information, and a lot of it really expensive stuff. Patents, trademarks, drug pipelines, market research, blah, blah, blah.

I was really good at my first job there, so in a year, they promoted me. But they couldn't replace the old me... so I was essentially doing two jobs. Then, I was doing that so well, they promoted me again. But guess what! They couldn't replace me... so I was doing three jobs. After a year of this, I cried uncle and up and left. I was eight months pregnant at the time, and I just couldn't keep doing that. That's when I came to the public library.

I've been here for four years now. It has it's ups and downs, but I do like it. So now, I have to decide.

My old company offered me a lot of money. Around 20K more a year -- more if the bonuses come through. Serious money. Think of all the debt we could clear...

It's also a 9-5 job. No weekends. No nights. With the exception of when there are tight deadlines. And it's possible that would happen frequently, knowing some of their clients.

I'd also be giving up the cushy government benefits. Health care at both jobs lines up for the most part... but the biggie is retirement. The state is going to give me a pension PLUS pay my health care when I retire, assuming I stick it out another 26 years. Corporate America won't do that. In fact, government won't even do that anymore. If I leave and come back... those health care benefits go away.

So... money now? Or money later? Risk corporate ups and downs in a bad economy? Or stay with a government job? Work a regular schedule or continue to work some nights and weekends? Both jobs offer intellectual stimulation, but the library work offers more physical activity... which I might not alway like, but I certainly need.

I have until tomorrow to decide.

Chris and I spent more than an hour last night debating the right thing to do and came to no solid conclusion.

Tonight, I believe Mr. Jack Daniels and I will have to work this out.

A Mysterious Belly

2008-07-18T22:18:00.001-04:00

Oh, my! Look at what someone did today! Who could this belly belong to?

Yucky Cavities

2008-07-16T20:04:00.004-04:00

Athena had to have three cavities filled today. Yeah, yeah... bad parents... blah blah blah. For the record, the dentist said that it was clear the cavities were caused in part by weak enamel, which is not bad parenting, but bad genetics. Related, but not the same.

We had to be there at 7am, which in and of itself, sucked. But she was excited to be headed out on an adventure, mainly because she had no idea what was in store. (Muahahahahahaaaaaaa)

They gave her a cocktail that helped her relax (made her drunk as a skunk) and then they kicked us out of the operating area. We heard the screams from the novacaine shots (mommy isn't cool with those either, so I was on her side), and then she was fairly quiet for the rest.

She was pretty doped up and was seeing double on our way home. It was, I am a little ashamed to admit, quite amusing. She also had a couple of freakouts... mainly caused by the drugs. My favorite was as she was leaving the office, when she became hysterical because the "goody bag" they gave her was not COMPLETELY full of toys and crap. That was awesome. Warmed the cockles of my heart with her selflessness, that did.

Within a couple of hours, she was back to her normal self. Chris spent the whole day with her, and she apparently ate constantly. Mostly crap too, which should be great for further cavity development. Fortunately, the ordeal is over for now. Let's hope she's willing to go back for her normal cleaning in September. They say she won't remember much of the morning. Here's hoping!

I Have a Place Where Dreams Are Born...

2008-07-13T21:50:00.000-04:00

I have a place where dreams are born
Where time is never planned
It's not on any chart
You must find it with your heart
Never, Never Land

When I was 7, my father basically forced me to watch My Fair Lady on television with him. I say forced, because he basically said, "Just try it for a bit, honey. See if you like it." Within two minutes, I was glued to the screen. I then proceeded to listen to the soundtrack over and over for a year.

Did I get sick of it? No. But what happened a year later that made me stop listening? I saw Sandy Duncan play Peter Pan on Broadway. My first Broadway show. She flew right over my head. And at that point, the Peter Pan soundtrack never left my turntable. It became my standard homework background music for most of elementary school. Even in fifth grade, when one of my babysitters introduced me to pop music (mom and dad weren't hip like that), I still had those show tunes in rotation. It began a whole lifestyle for me... one that I pretty much put aside when I got married.

Today, I took Athena (and Chris) to see this show that started it all for me. Athena has been to the theater once before, when we were fortunate enough to be given tickets for the touring company of The Lion King. She did really well, which was an extra shock because it was an 8pm show. However, the pageantry of that show alone is enough to engage her, and when you add the African beat and harmony, you really can't fall asleep or complain.

Before we left for the theater, I prepped her with all the theater etiquette I could. She wanted to bring her "Jingle Bear" toy, which I refused to allow since he ... well... jingles. She wore a new dress (not as dressy as I would have liked, but it's my fault for timing the distribution of the new stuff so badly). Grandma came at 11:30 to look after Marcus and we piled in the car to head downtown.

We picked up Aiden and Kathryn on the way and had lunch downtown. We ended up getting to the theater way too early, but it was fine. Both kids were enthralled, although Athena, the skeptic herself, noted right away that 1) Peter Pan was a girl and 2) she was "flying on a string." *sigh* I guess she didn't get her mother's ability to suspend disbelief.

Anyway, the kids were well behaved AND Athena didn't even have an accident. All day. I am about 80 times more excited about that than her sitting through the show. Which was very well done and enjoyable. It was good to get back to the theater. Chris even enjoyed it.

Although I'm guessing that had as much to do with Tiger Lily's smokin' hot body than with the rest of the show...