Sleepless in Las Vegas...

It was a GREAT visit and we were more than happy to spend the time with family... but, our trip to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving was EXHAUSTING!!!!!!  Luke was all messed up. He is either teething, getting sick, completely unable to adapt to new locations or he just a general GRUMP... but he was just whiney and crying all the time! Neither Scott nor I could leave his side without him having a major meltdown.  Easygoing this boy is NOT!!!!

He went to bed really well.. but, with the time change... he was up every morning at 4:00 am!  It wasn't all that bad.. we were mostly on Michigan time too, but we were staying up a great deal later than he was.  You would just NEVER suspect from these pictures that he spent most of his Thanksgiving vacation in Vegas whining and crying!

Okay, maybe I exaggerate.  I am prone to it.. but really... he was damn grumpy!!!  He had to scream himself to sleep in order to take a nap. Nighttime was a bit easier.  Maybe cuz he couldn't see his surroundings really?  Or maybe he was just exhausted.  Who knows?  

We survived though!  And, I know that my Mom and Dave appreciated our coming out and visiting no matter how interrupted their sleep was too!

My step-sister, Crystal and brother-in-law, Colin were out there too.. and we had a really great time spending more time with them and getting to know them better! We all got along great living in some pretty close quarters for five days!!!  I think the drinking helped! HA!  We are a family that enjoys the wine and the drink. We are Polish after all.  It's in our blood. Drinking and dancing are just a given!

Here is a picture of the whole family at dinner... minus Luke, who much to my mother's disappointment, was sleeping. Scott and I were, of course, THRILLED!!!! We got to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner in peace! 

Thursday, after dinner, we took a ride down to the Strip (as I posted earlier) to show Ally the sights.... all she talked about the entire time were all the Mamma Mia signs... so I decided to take her to see the show on Friday. Scott, my mom, Ally and I went.  Ally was absolutely GIDDY and LOVED the show!  She takes after her mom, and I take after my mom, when it comes to a love for live shows!!!! I will NEVER forget my first show... Les Miserables, with my mom!!!!!!  I am so happy to pass on the tradition....

Ally also absolutely loved spending time with Aunt Crystal and Uncle Colin.  They were pretty crazy about catering to her every whim. She and Crystal made Christmas ornaments together... Colin played endless games of Go Fish!  And... this was Ally's favorite thing to do.... she asked Uncle Colin every five minutes if he would carry her on his shoulders... he was a big pushover! I wonder how his back is holding up today?  ;-)

All-in-all... we had a GREAT trip and a wonderful visit!!!!!  We saw some sights, did some shopping and most importantly, enjoyed our time with family... talking, drinking and just hanging out... isn't that what Thanksgiving is all about????  I am truly thankful for that visit as we made memories we won't soon forget!

More pictures on our Mac Gallery!!!  Take a look!

Packin' on the Pounds...

I think I am going to gain like 10 pounds on this trip!! Every morning, we have had huge breakfasts!!! Bacon daily... And those of you that know me, know my love for the breakfast meats!! Ha!!

This morning we are having "Dutch Babies". I don't know what they are exactly, but they sound wonderful. I think they are something like a crepe or pancake. In the family at least.

We have already been out and about this morning. And NOT shopping!! Luke gets up around 4:00 am here and then, of course the whole house is up, so we decided to get the loud boy out of the house. Scott and I were at Starbucks before 5:00 am. Nice!

It's sunny and gorgeous here today. We can finally appreciate the gorgeous mountain view that my mom and Dave have here. We're going out and about later. Details are unclear to me... But we're just happy it's not raining...

Last night we drove down to The Strip so Ally could enjoy the lights and sights!!! She was less than impressed. At one point she actually said, "these aren't SO many lights". Hard to impress her majesty. She was more excited by all the Mamma Mia signs. So, today I am looking at tickets for tonights performance. My mom can get them half price. NICE!!!

So, we shall see!!! Last night we went to an aquarium that had a mermaid. She was impressed by that!!!!

We shall see what the day brings!!!


-- Post From My iPhone

Happy Thanksgiving...

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, my family, friends and loyal readers!!!

We are in Las Vegas with my mom and family. We have had such a nice visit so far! We arrived late Tuesday night and pretty much crashed after a short visit. The kids were amazing on the plane. Luke was a little squirmy at first, but he settled down at takeoff and fell asleep right away! Slept the entire flight!!! Ally watched a bit of a movie until she too fell fast asleep. Could not have asked for easier travel with kids. We made the right call traveling at night.

I made the most of the time and listened to music the entire time. Sat in the dark, my kids sleeping on me, and just enjoyed the peace and my tunes. Don't often get a chance to do that. It was really nice... Lost in my own thoughts...

Yesterday, the weather was rainy and cold, so we just did some shopping and laid low. We had a really great dinner and a lot of drinks last night!! In typical "my family" fashion, there was lots of wine, liquor, music and of course, dancing. :-)))). Drunken Polish peeps!!!! Ally loved every minute of it.

Today we woke up to a wonderful breakfast of bacon and omlettes. YUM!!!! My Step-Dad makes a mean omlette!! I ate too much. Will be the theme of the day!!! Ha!

We are about to watch the lions lose. It's 9:00 am here!!! A bit odd to watch football so early!!! Oh - the Macy's Parade is on.... Ally is giddy!!! She and Aunt Crystal are making Christmas ornaments and watching the parade. Lots of people catering to her very whim this week!

Have a Very Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! I hope you are surrounded by the people you love and are carrying those that can't be with you, in your heart. All of you I can't be with - I love and miss you. I am thankful for all of you!!!!

-- Post From My iPhone

Leavin' on Jet Plane (again!)...

We are packed and almost ready to go!  Last minute details of course, always... but I THINK we have everything to spend the rest of the week in Vegas (Henderson actually, just outside of Vegas) for the Thanksgiving holidays with my Mom, Step-Dad, Step Sister and Brother-in-law!!!  It's going to be a FULL house since we are bringing two kids... but isn't that what the holidays are all about... a whole bunch of family too close together? HA!!!!

I cannot wait for turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, squash, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, green bean casserole.... you are making all that stuff mom, right?  :-)

I'm STARVING just thinking about it.  Have hardly eaten today, things have been so crazy.

Wish us luck.... let's hope Luke survives.  OMG!

S Factor...

I have gone back and forth on whether or not to post this... and "talk" about it! I think it may invoke some odd reactions in some of my readers... some may not really understand it... some may be completely turned off by it... but as my Ally always sings from the Camp Rock soundtrack... "This is real.. this is me..." So... "talk" about it I will!!!!!!

I have eluded to the fact that I have taken some S Factor classes in Chicago from time to time. I have also mentioned how much I absolutely LOVE the classes... and honestly, how I feel about them is hard to convey in a blog!

I had no desire to go when Beth invited me to a free Intro class. When she made the offer, I only went along with it because my friend Kristen really wanted to do it too... and who wants to be THAT GIRL? The party pooper as it were? :-)

So... I went along to the 2 hour Intro class.... and the entire thing blew my mind! When YOU look at S Factor... YOU are going to say... "OH - it's a pole dancing/stripper class!" But it is SO NOT! It is SO MUCH more than that. First of all... no one STRIPS in this class. Second of all, the pole is completely secondary to all that you do and learn.

And, most important... the classes are all about women regaining control and love for their bodies... and learning how to accept all "parts" of YOU! Come ON! What woman doesn't want to feel more comfortable in their own skin? I know I do!

I cannot explain this to you in written or spoken word. No one is going to understand it until you try it quite honestly. So... here's my advice to you all. Ever find yourself in Chicago or LA or NYC... TAKE A CLASS!!!!!! Ever want some help with Chicago... contact me and I'll get you into a class. Try it. See what it's all about. Even if you can never take another class again because of where you live.... get the taste... it will be enough to make you a believer and maybe you will incorporate some of that into your every day life.

Okay... off my soapbox... stepping down now....

All that said... I have taken a few classes... and talked and talked and obsessed over it.... buying the book and DVDs to do it at home.... and one day just told Scott I wanted to do this in Chicago.... they were offering half sessions (so you only commit to 4 weeks instead of 8) and I wanted to see if I could make it work.

His immediate and unwaivering response... GO! Do it... "life's too short" and it's obviously something that means a lot to you.

Score one for the hubby!

So.... I am doing it! And, I went this past weekend for my first class..... of four. :-) We all know I won't be able to stop and I will do more... but I will cross that bridge and deal with that logistic challenge when it comes.

I have posted some pictures here (from the S Factor Website) of Chicago's stuido... so you can all envision what it looks like.

This is the lobby of the Studio:



And these are a couple of the Studios where the actual classes are conducted. Yes, there are LOTS of poles.... notice though... NO MIRRORS! The whole idea is to not judge yourself or anyone else for that matter...

So... this is where I go when I go to Chicago and S Factor... it's a nice place. You should all stop by and visit sometime! ;-)

Chillin' in the Windy City...

Ally and I traveled to Chicago early Saturday!  We had a great Mommy/Daughter weekend with Beth and Isabel (and Eli too!). Beth's husband, Scott was out of town for work, so it was just us moms and the kids!  Saturday evening, we made our way downtown to Michigan Avenue for the annual Lighting of Michigan Avenue parade.  It's the start of the Christmas season for Chicago... and as the first float of the parade makes its way down Michigan Ave (with Mickey Mouse at the helm!)... the lights on Michigan Ave come on. It was really a pretty cool sight!!!!

It was pretty chilly and MORE than crazy with a zillion people.... but the kids had so much fun!  Here are Ally and Isabel cheesin' it up in their "matching" hats!  This always happens!  Beth and I tend to get them such similar things no matter what the season! 

Here are the girls with their little prince for the evening, Eli.  Ally absolutely loves Eli and loves to play with him almost as much as Isabel when we visit the Hopson family!

Before we got out of the house for the evening, the girls had to run around and dance like the wild children that they are.... hardly stopping to pose for me as I demanded every five minutes!

They are such gorgeous little girls... and such good friends!  I absolutely love taking Ally into Chicago. The look on her face every time we drive into the city is priceless.  She just lights up from head to toe! She loves seeing the buildings in the distance as we drive down the Skyway. She loves seeing Lake Michigan as we drive up Lakeshore on our way up to Beth's!  She's giddy as we go!!!!!

After the parade, Chelsea joined Beth and I for a really great "girls' night in!"  We drank LOTS (read too much!) wine and talked the night away.  It always feels so good to catch up with my girls... and I treasure their friendship more than anything!!!!  We had a great talk.... 

More about the rest of the weekend later... I am absolutely exhausted and must get to sleep!  While this is a short work week (only working tomorrow - so short is an understatement!), we leave for Vegas for the Thanksgiving holidays on Tuesday so there is MUCH TO DO to prepare!

Memory Card...

I FINALLY got a memory card! Pics from Chicago will be posted tomorrow! Woo hoo!!


-- Post From My iPhone

Chicago Bound...

I am getting myself and Ally ready this morning to go to Chicago!  I am giddy! Looking forward to an evening with the kids. We are taking them all to a parade on Michigan Avenue to kick of the holiday season!  They "light up" Michigan Avenue tonight!  Ally is so excited!  Going to be chilly, but it will be fun!!!

After the parade, Beth, Chelsea and I are going to put the kids to bed.... get some sushi.... open some wine and have some much needed girl talk!  I love my time with my girls and I cannot wait to just chill with them and talk and talk the night away!!!!!!!!!!!!

My meetings the last couple days went really well.... and the most important part... they are behind me and I don't have to worry and stress anymore!

Okay, must GET READY to go.. and get on the road!  I hope the weather holds and I don't have t to drive in anything nasty!

Salon...

I'm at the salon!! It is the calm before my storm. I am at a two day, crazy, stressful meeting I have been worrying about like you wouldn't believe he next two days. I think I am actually worrying myself sick over it. Last night, around 1 am, I woke up with a migraine. I haven't had one in years! I was nausiated, the whole 9 yards. Sucked!!!!

I know it will go better than I anticipate. I know I am likely worrying for no reason, but still. I am stressin!!!

So.... For now, I will try to enjoy this time and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow!

-- Post From My iPhone

First Tooth!

Luke got his first tooth!!! Almost 11 months old!!! Now, he can eat steak. :-)

Congrats big guy!!! I forgive you for your horrid grumpiness of late!

-- Post From My iPhone

Weekend in Review...

So.. we had a pretty good weekend overall! Didn't too all that much, but isn't that what weekends are for sometimes? Just to chill?

First of all... our house had gone to hell by the end of the week. Literally. It was a DISASTER!!!! All week long, we just let the mess pile up. One of us was always working late or I was traveling... so the one home, just had kid duty and then passed out. Dishes piled up. Toys strewn everywhere. There wasn't a clean surface in sight.... Please dear God... send me an Alice soon!

Even Friday night, Scott and I just came home and passed out. LAZY! Put off until tomorrow what you SHOULD do today I always say! And we did.........

Come Saturday morning... we had had our limit. Something had to be done!

Scott went to run a couple errands and took Ally.... I promised that I would clean the kitchen while he was gone........

So... off he went. I got on the computer... for JUST a quick second. Facebook. Blogs. iTunes. Just a little while. Okay... kitchen... focus... took the garbage out... started to throw things away.... went in my room and decided to try some things on..... clean out my closet.....??? WTF? Do I have NO ABILITY TO FOCUS????

I walk back to get to the kitchen... and Kristen calls.... :-))))) LOL! I'm on the phone with her... and Scott pulls in the driveway! AHHHHH!!!! I tell her I have to go... I'm a dead woman!

Scott walks in and gives me this look. He is speechless.

I get to work............

The kitchen was spotless... eventually! ;-)

We picked up the entire house that early afternoon.... and then, later that evening went out to the mall and grabbed Applebees for dinner. I had to do the dreaded "bra shopping!" :-) Scott could not even believe how long it took me. It takes forever to do that!!!!!!! And, I still made bad decisions and had to go back yesterday to make exchanges.

While Scott took Ally to the free swim at the Y yesterday, I attempted to run errands with Luke. Exchanges at Victoria's Secret. Snowpants and boots for Ally. Ugh. That boy is HORRID to shop with!!!!!!!!!!! He refused to eat while we were out and about... and hated the stroller. Fought against the straps as if to say "let me out of here woman!!!!" You can't keep a boy down. He does not enjoy being restrained. UGH!

He is just SO DIFFERENT from Ally in so many ways! She was a fabulous, content shopping buddy! He is all boy. No shopping. No restraints. No multi-tasking! Not an easy going bone in that boy's body.

I finally just sent Scott a text asking him to get me a few things after swimming... and took the boy home! Of course, he fell asleep on the way home for a few minutes... and then, would NOT NAP at all that afternoon! So... we had a grumpy gus on our hands ALL EVENING LONG! We could not put him down soon enough. I think it was like 10 to 7 when we finally said "ENOUGH!"

HA! He still slept all night until almost 8:00 am!

And... now we begin another busy work week! Good times......... but... this is the week of hair cut and color.... and Chicago this weekend!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First Haircut...

I cut Luke's hair today!  Do I have any pictures to show for it... NO! Well, I have two, but they're not even worth posting as they are so bad and don't show any of the moment anyway!!!!!

I can't believe his hair was long enough to cut!  At this age, I think Ally was still bald, bald, BALD!  She didn't have hair forever...

Not Luke... No... he had some bad Fraiser hair, so I HAD to trim the back up.  I "cut" Scott's hair, so we own clippers.  I just used them with a guard and trimmed the back up.... and it looks pretty good if I do say so myself!!!!!!

I kept a bit of his hair too, to put in his baby book.  Look at me! Remembering to do these things for Number Two!  The second child usually gets screwed.  I'm doing the best I can to make sure that doesn't totally happen!

Watch Out...

Watch out world... I'm a woman with PMS who is stressed with work... with life... who is tired as hell... and badly in need of a cut and color! Grey roots be damned!!!!

Just typing that... I am wondering if this all can't be fixed with that trip to the salon! LOL! Ah.. there is at least one in my future. If I can figure out a way to work around everything else I need to do and get there!

I have rescheduled this hair appointment a few times... and I have to call and reschedule it again. I NEED it next week as I just can't make it any longer than that.... when my hair gets out of control... so do I. Superficial? Shallow? Call it what you will. It's a fact of life with me. I accept it. You should too. ;-)

In the midst of all this craziness swirling around me... it hit me hard last night that Ally has really grown in the past few months. Not necessarily physically, although she has done that... but emotionally.

We used to have SUCH AWFUL problems with her. She had fits of borderline rage from time to time. It really frightened us to the point where we sought out the help of a therapist. We got a LOT of great help and advice from this therapist and implemented some of that into our discipline of Ally... but that can't be ALL of what has changed her.

She also really seems to LOVE school... it's structure... the kids.. the teacher and everything about it. I think that is the number one reason she is so much better behaved.

So... what does that say about before? Was she bored with where she went to preschool? With Y Camp? Was it not structured enough? Was she not challenged enough? What is motivating her to be a "better person?" (so many of you know that's one of my favorite phrases!!!)

Maybe she's just also matured a bit... grown into herself. She is such a smart little girl. And, I say that matter-of-factly... not in a "I'm her mom and she's the smartest kid" kind of way. She really is a smart cookie. Maybe it's true and her emotional state is catching up with her intelligence. What's helping that? What was hindering it before? Most of all... why does it MATTER?

All I know is that I like this Ally so much better! There were many days there that I did not LIKE my little girl. I always loved her. But, sometimes, she scared the crap out of me. I was convinced for quite some time that she was going to grow up to be a serial killer or maybe president. Either way..... ;-)

I try to stop and be thankful every once in a while... in the midst of all that is crazy going on in my life... and remember the hard times that are now, hopefully, behind us. I know I still have the teenage years to look forward to... but for now, I will bask in THIS moment....

Broken Streak...

I broke my NaBloPoMo streak......... OH NO!!!!!!!! :-( What are ya gonna do? I've been on the road since Monday and I just didn't have time to blog while I was gone. I did the tour of our West Coast here in Michigan! Drove up to Muskegon for a meeting Tuesday morning... then, down the coast for a meeting in South Haven on Wednesday. I got home last night....

I was far too tired to blog when I got home last night..... and too busy when on the road....... I feel like I have let my readers down.................

Oh well. You'll get over it. I'm sure you're over it now as a matter of fact!

Work, work, work, work, WORK! Been busy, busy lately! It is usually a good busy, but at times borders on the overwhelming. I think after next week, I will feel better. I know with the week of Thanksgiving comes some free time... and our trip to Vegas to see my mom and Dave! Definitely looking forward to that!!! Hopefully, the weather will be warmer than it is here while we're down there.... it does make me wonder what to dress the kids in for Thanksgiving though! I just got Luke the cutest little turkey onsie from Pottery Barn Kids when I was in Chicago a few weeks ago.... and some brown cords to go with it from the Gap. Ally, I think I am going to just get her a comfy dress of some sort. At the very least I hope we won't be needing sweaters and such!

Tonight I am going to Dream Dinners with Jane and looking forward to it!!!!!!!! Hopefully, it means our family will actually eat something decent for dinner once in a while! Last night, Scott and I totally made one of those Bertolli frozen things for ourselves after the kids went down... and then, we passed out by 9:00 pm. I was exhausted from my travels and he had a 7:00 am raquetball game this morning! HA! 7:00 am! Who DOES THAT?

We shall see if I can stay up for Grey's tonight. I am currently sipping a latte from Starbucks... so it's possible. I was going to try to make it through the afternoon without any more caffiene, but I just couldn't do it. I have a couple things to get out before 5:00 and I need that final jolt of energy! Terrible... I know... but I need help in any form now days!

I promise you a couple things....

1. I am going to get a memory card so I can take some pictures and you can see the kids once again and,
2. I will TRY to maintain my daily posting for the rest of November. All I can do is try!

NaBloPoMo...

Just for the record... I am ROCKING at NaBloPoMo!!!!! I have posted every day in November! I may not say too much... but I am posting and that is enough for me!

The next few days I'm traveling, so here's hoping the iPhone Application that allows me to post doesn't let me down and make me break my streak!

Bone Chillin'....

It is ABSOLUTELY FREEZING today!!!! Winter is here in full force! WTF? Wasn't it like 70 degrees last week? Where is Global Warming when you need it? :-)

I wore my winter coat... a scarf... and gloves today. It was about 30 degrees when I left the house and I swear it hasn't warmed up one degree.

I went to Anna's Porch Cafe for lunch today and got a warm casserole along with hot tea. I could not get enough WARM things to warm me up.

I had my heat on high and my heated seats on in the car.

My space heater is running here at work and I am still drinking coffee....

I can't seem to thaw!!!!!!!

I am already dreaming of tropical vacations........ this is not a good sign. How am I going to make in through the long Michigan winter that lies ahead?

Food... Glorious Food...

It's kind of been the weekend of food around here.  First of all, I am FINALLY fully healthy and along with that health, my appetite has returned.  Also, my energy to actually cook... or go to the grocery store for that matter!!!!

On Saturday morning, I braved Meijer.  And, I do mean BRAVED!  It was crazy busy... I had to wait for a shopping cart.... fight hordes of people in every aisle and wait in a check out line that wrapped around like the wait for a roller coaster at Cedar Point!  

But... I was a better person... and I bought my family some much needed food!!!!!!!  

This weekend, I made Luke some food to have on hand... some pears, squash, sweet potatoes, apples... you get the idea.  I also got him some more yogurt, goat cheese, rice cakes, cereal bars and a few jars of emergency baby food!  But... more importantly.... I decided to feed the boy pretty much whatever we ate!

I made lasagna this weekend... I made blueberry muffins and turkey sausage. The boy ate it all!  He LOVES lasagna!  We are giving him whatever we eat... and supplementing it with some mashed food to make sure he gets enough.  He's been pretty fussy lately, and we are wondering if he is just HUNGRY!  Trying to feed him more and more "table food" is hard cuz it just doesn't feel like he's eating enough.  

For lunch today, he had yogurt with pears and squash.  He had like two HUGE bowls of each.  Scott just kept feeding him! And... after that... he was happier than he was all morning after just having had some muffin and sausage.  I should have fed him oatmeal then.... but didn't.

He had lasagna last night for dinner... which I supplemented with avocado and applesauce.  He definitely had plenty then too.

So.... I've learned to feed him what we're eating... but offer him the food he's comfortable with too that I know will fill him up!!!!!!

I just got an email from Jane today about going to Dream Dinners on Thursday and I am SO EXCITED... cuz this is the push I need to go!  I am so excited!!!!!!!!!!  

Of course, I am traveling this week and gone two nights... Scott and Ally will likely live on the leftover lasagna!  :-)  At least this week, I leave them with some food options!!!!  Look at me... trying to be a better person!!!  

What To Eat...

I'm having a hard time figuring out what to feed Luke these days. We ran out of most of our frozen cubes of "baby food" and I feel like we shouldn't really make any more.  The doc said he should be eating "table foods" for the most part. Problem is, there is very little other stuff he can eat... and I'm not a big fan of "prepared foods" ... but lately, I haven't had a great deal of time to cook anything either!!!!!

We try to make it so that dinner lately is something he can eat with us and then, leftover for lunch the next day.  It's not always easy cuz frankly we just don't ALWAYS eat dinner!  Like I have mentioned before... sometimes I literally scrounge something together for the kids and eat a bowl of cereal after they are in bed.  Pure exhaustion wins some nights...

So... I got some fruits and veggies today to make some cubes up... we at least need to have some on hand!

Other than that... I am open to any great suggestions any of you moms out there have for just what you do with a ten month old when it comes to solid food???  I am particularly concerned cuz he is totally rejecting his bottle lately.  The night bottle used to be a full 8 ounces and the last few nights he's taken less than half....

Crazy baby...

I'm an Embarrassment...

... it's offical! I embarrass my daughter already! This morning, after I gave Luke his bottle... I put him down next to a toy that plays music. The music immediately started up and he began to dance, so I danced along with him....

Ally was sitting at the dining room table, eating her breakfast and when I looked over at her, she was just sitting there, looking at me and shaking her head. Then... she proceeded to say... "Mommy is such an embarrassment..."

WHAT!? Seriously? Me? I am the COOLEST MOM I KNOW!!!!!!!!

First of all... what five year old uses the word embarrassment? "I'm so embarrassed" or something of the like seems more appropriate... but embarrassment?

Second of all... who died and put you in charge of what is cool chicky???

I am a fabulous dancer! LOL!

Oh... I just can't even believe it. I am being called out by a kindergartener for being uncool. I cannot EVEN imagine the things that she might say to me when she is a teenager. I'm not sure our house is big enough for our two personalities........

A Typical Situation...

This is a typical evening in the McIntosh household...

I get home on a good day between 5:30 and 6:00. It's rush, rush, rush to make some dinner. Sometimes, it's dinner for four, sometimes it's simply feed the kids something, and worry about dinner for the adults after they go down. It varies with what's in the house and my energy level quite frankly!

Luke is not a happy go lucky guy in the evenings. NOT. AT. ALL! Yesterday, I literally had to make dinner holding him the ENTIRE time. How is that possible? It can be done. Not easily... and not without wine... but it can be done!

It's just quite frustrating... the craziness of the evening routine. Screamining baby boy. A bit of a demanding kindergarten girl... and trying to feed them both something that I don't have guilt about. Yesterday, grilled chicken, steamed brocolli and wild rice. Of course, we were eating after 7:00 pm... but that's not really the point now is it?

I also consumed half a bottle of wine in the process... a nice French White Burgandy! Little wine, little cheese... and the screaming baby and process of making dinner wasn't all that bad!

Mommy's little helper!!!

Evenings are crazy! And I must say that I simply feel like I am rushing through absolutely everything and not really spending real quality time with either one of my kids. It's not like I can come home and simply enjoy being with them for a bit. There is always something that has to be done. It's just life, right? Everyone feels this way!?

For all last night's and every night's craziness... there are moments of pure peace. After attempting to feed Luke and having him throw his baby fit cuz frankly he was just tired... I gave up and finally decided to eat myself. Ally had already finished... and she came over and decided to help out and try to feed Luke... and damned if that boy didn't smile and take every morsel she fed him!!!!!!!!! He just stares up at her with his big baby grin... and eats the rest of his dinner in happiness. She is the light of his life for certain.....

It was a good moment..... it was adorable and I'm going to carry that moment with me........ they will always have eachother.......... :-)

Change...

Change is scary for most people. It's the element of the unknown... the wonder of it all. So many people would rather live in the comfort of the status quo, even if the status quo SUCKS... then take the necessary efforts to make a change...

I know. I've been there before. We all have at one time or another... we all will be again...

But, it takes a lot to embrace a big change. This change... this new president, may not make everyone happy... but it's time to come together and work towards a common goal for positive change no matter what your political views. Sitting back... being pissed off because "your man" didn't win... isn't going to do our country... any of us any good.

I know you're all sitting there, thinking that I would not be saying this had McCain won... but I would. I swear it. I might not be thrilled... but I would want to move forward and do what I could for change in any form.....

We are in the midst of a scary time right now. In America. In Michigan. In my lifetime, I have not known such economic hardship. I have seen nothing like this... felt nothing like this... and I am fortunate enough to have a great job and the general feelling of job security. I am one of the lucky ones.

I know some who are not so lucky and my heart breaks for them...

So... I implore you all... come together. Accept what is done... and look for the good in it. Seek out the positive, for SO MUCH is positive in this.

Bitching and moaning will get us no where... fast...

The Only Time I Will Say This... Go Blue!

Blue states that is!!!!  I am GLUED to the TV.  Watching the polls close and the votes being tallied. I get giddy when a state turns blue.  I remind myself not to travel to a state that turns red. Irrational, yes... but I am feeling emotional about this election for some reason.

When I logged onto Facebook this evening, I was completely overwhelmed by the status of almost all my "friends."  Everyone had voted.  So many people out there encouraging everyone to vote!!!!!  I was overcome with emotion!

It's an exciting night.... I will not be able to make it very late as I am wicked tired... but I will likely just let myself fall asleep on the couch and wake up at some point... maybe catch a glimpse of our new president?

A change must come... Go Obama!!!!

It's Not Too Late...

.... to get out and VOTE!!!!!!  The polls are open until 8:00 pm... and you only have to be in line by 8:00 pm to be eligible to cast your vote!!!!!!

EVERY VOTE MATTERS!!!!!

EVERY VOTE COUNTS!!!!!!!

Get out there people!

I Can See Clearly Now...

I can see the light at the end of my tunnel! I cannot TELL you how much better I am feeling... thank god for the modern invention of antibiotics! Thank god I finally went to the doctor! And even a thanks to all of you who wouldn't get off my back about NOT going to the doctor. I went. I'm on the road to recovery. All is going to be right with the world again....

When you are sick... for so long... it is easy to let the weight of the world get you down. I cannot imagine what the truly sick go through. I felt depressed with just a cold turned pneumonia. It gives you a glimpse into what it must feel like to really be down and out with a real ilness. Now, in the process of "feeling better"... I almost feel eurphoric! It's like a high! I had forgotten what it is like to feel GOOD!

Four weeks of hell.... coming to an end...... thank God!

Everyone seems to be adjusting to the time change well! Luke slept until the real 7:30 this morning, which would have felt like 8:30 to him... but is his usual wake up time... so I am thrilled with that! It was a struggle keeping him awake until 7:00 pm last night, but we made it... and hopefully, he will stay on track with the time change! That would be nice.

He still continues to sleep straight through the night. Making him cry... BEST THING WE EVER DID! I don't know if he was just ready or if we could have done it sooner... but it doesn't matter now. He is sleeping. We are sleeping. The relief is overwhelming!

Ally doesn't have school today. I am truly amazed at how many days off they have already had in this school year! She was thrilled to spend the day with Luke, Gracie, Nana and Papa. Nana made her Pumpkin Pancakes this morning and she was giddy! She couldn't even wait to get there this morning... so I took her and Luke and came back home to finish getting ready. I knew I couldn't stand an hour of constant "are you ready yet?"

Scott and I were just talking last night about the crazy turn-around in Ally's behavior lately. She is almost a whole new kid. Since starting Kindergarten, we have virtually had no behavior issues with her. Of course, I think through the help we sought out, we have made some changes in our ways too, but overall... she is being GREAT!!!!!

She continues to absolutely love school and her friends and teacher. She talks about Mrs. Spicer all the time and had to make a picture for her this weekend. I think that Mrs. Spicer is a perfect match for Ally... Ally respects her and loves her... a great combination!

Look at this positive post from me!!!!!!! I hope to have many, many more positive things to say this month as I embark upon this "one post for every day of the month" effort. Of course, I cannot recall the actual acronym for it right now... hmmm???? NaBloPoMo? Is that right? HA! I crack myself up......

Anywho... will save more for tomorrow... going to need to save my topics to make it the full 30 days!

Fall Back Again...

Did everyone remember to "fall back?"  It's that time of the year again where we turn our clocks back an hour... where we all throw ourselves off... where our children wake up an hour earlier and are grumpier an hour earlier in the evenings and we try to "hold them off" in order to get them in line with the clock.  Oh what fun!!!!!!  :-)

So... throw your lives off... turn your clock back!!!!  Gaining that extra hour only counts if you DON'T have children.... remember those days?  When you would argue with your parents that you could stay out an hour after curfew, cuz after all... it was an hour earlier!  When you could sleep in after drinking all night and still get homework done for your Monday 10:20 (I never took 8:00 am classes!) on Sunday cuz you had that EXTRA HOUR?  

Gone are those days... now we have grumpy kids who are hungry an hour earlier and tired.... as we try to get them to fall in line with the new clock!  :-))))