Books Read in July 2011

1. Chasin' Eight by Lorelei James (NOTE: This is part of a series. You can find more information and order in which to read here.)
2. House of Daughters by Sarah-Kate Lynch
3. Cowgirls Don't Cry by Lorelei James (NOTE: This is part of a series. You can find more information and order in which to read here.)
4. The Lover's Dictionary by David Leviathan
5. Corralled by Lorelei James (NOTE: This is part of a series. You can find more information and order in which to read here.)

Not a bad month for reading. Some of the books I had on my list forever. Two of the books were for book club. (So, I'm all set for book club in SEPTEMBER - weird, right?!)

Movies Watched in July 2011

1. The Namesake
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
3. The King's Speech
4. Friends with Benefits

Good movies this month. I rented the odd numbers and saw the even numbers in the theater. I would recommend them all.

Let's Call the Whole Thing Off!

 

Little Miss watches television with us at night. It helps calm her down in the evening and get ready for bed mentally. Lately, she's been taking lessons from television and applying them to real life. For instance, Special Agent Oso taught her how to correctly throw a football. Sometimes, however, she'll pick up language from a show. She can booby trap the kitchen with help from Jake and the Neverland Pirates (or Jake and the Never Pirates as she calls them). However, lately, Little Miss is obsessed with Peppa Pig which is fitting for our little one born in the Year of the Pig. So, because Peppa is British, she has taught Little Miss to say "to-mah-to". It's kind of freakishly cute.

Bedtime

So, no matter when we put Little Miss to bed, she falls asleep at 9PM.  One time, we didn't put her to bed and, at 9PM, she just got changed and put herself to bed.  Tonight, at 8:45PM, Little Miss was cuddling with Husband on the couch.  She jumps up and says "it's getting late, I need to go to bed."  She runs into her room, turns off the light, turns on her music and gets into bed.  Wacky kid.

Weekend Update - Hot Hot Hot

Last Thursday, Little Miss spent the night with my family - Mom, Dad, Sister and Nephew. She thinks her older cousin is the best thing since sliced bread. Today, she announced that he knows EVERYTHING. Plus, he's the nicest because he made her breakfast (which was quite impressive even if it was cereal), got her a red popsicle, and gave her a Silly Bandz. At dinner, she wanted an orange popsicle because that's what he likes best.

This has to be some of the hottest weather I can remember. Maybe not the hottest, but it's been right up there. So, it was perfect timing that Little Miss was invited to a birthday party at the water park. On Saturday, she was so excited that she voluntarily crawled into bed for a very early nap and was all ready to go to the party. It was so cute to see all the classmates see each other outside of school. They mostly played independently, but they would occasionally play with each other in between playing with their parents or eating pizza or cupcakes. The cupcakes were absolutely adorable, and Little Miss ate hers with absolute enthusiasm. It was embarrassing, but at least she enjoyed herself. After, we went home with a goody bag (a cute little shovel and pail set with a beach ball, bubbles, and other items inside) and giant monkey balloon.  Another note:  I was thinking of getting a pinata for Little Miss's birthday.  I no longer think that's a good idea.  Toddlers and a stick are a bad combination.  Plus, the pinata at the party NEVER BROKE.  The dad finally just ripped it open and flung the candy everywhere.  Below is video of Little Miss giving it a whack.

On Sunday, we mostly ran errands. We needed a new suitcase so hit up the mall. Then, we went to the toy store, the bookstore and the baby clothes store where Little Miss got new rain boots. I'm sure I'll have pictures of those considering she wears rain boots 4 out of every 7 days.

Very busy weekend, but it was fun. We have some busy times coming up so it's nice to see Little Miss being cooperative or at least being able to communicate why she isn't happy. I'd like some down time now but tomorrow is Monday so back to the crazy grindstone.

Weekend Update - Movie, Books and Sun (What More Could You Ask For?)

A couple of weeks ago, I won tickets to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2. The prize included 2 tickets with reserved seating and vouchers for popcorn and soda. So, a friend and I went to Georgetown last Friday to see the movie. We had a yummy dinner at a Thai restaurant and then settled in to watch the movie. The movie was so good and the reserved seating lessened the stress of finding a seat in a sold-out show.

On Saturday, I met with friends for book club. It was a nice lunch and conversation - with a little talk of the book. I went grocery shopping after that and then had a quiet night at home.

On Sunday, Husband met up with friends to watch golf so Little Miss and I went to my parents' house to use their pool. The second picture above shows Dad's sandals next to the shoes Little Miss decided to wear to the pool.  You can see the full ensemble in the first photo.  Quite the stylish little one.  We hung out there all afternoon. Sister and Nephew joined us later. Little Miss got to borrow Nephew's Swimmies and loved them. She loved being independent in the water which may be a great step to teaching her to swim. Good weekend!

Bedtime Fun

Little Miss went to bed under protest tonight.  She went very unwillingly but went through the motions.  Then, as soon as bedtime arrived, so did a thunderstorm.  (Actually, both things are still simultaneously happening.)  So, she called for Daddy because he's a bigger pushover at bedtime.  However, he was also cooking dinner so he only attended to the first round of grievances.  Then, usually we ignore her.  I heard the thunder rumbling and her whimpering so I went in to give hugs.  At this point, I noticed she wasn't whimpering, she was just plain whining.  I could see in her face she was exhausted.  She was rubbing her eyes and yawning... but whining.  So, I told her if she didn't settle down, I was going to leave because I didn't come in there to hear her whine.  She looked at me and said, "I don't want to settle down.  Leave."  When I didn't leave, she sat up, pointed to the door and said, "Leave!"  So, I did. 

Funny but in the seconds since I left the room, it's been silent from her room and I bet anything she just rolled over and went to sleep.  Should have just stuck with my usual routine of ignoring her.  That'll teach me to be nice during a thunderstorm. 

Weekend Update - Wicked Carnival

On Friday, we had a quiet night. We had a party earlier in the week in DC where we stayed out late so we needed a quiet night. On Saturday, Little Miss threw my contacts down the sink (AGAIN) so it was a long day of yelling and napping - by all parties. In the evening, we went and ran some errands.

On Sunday, Mom and Sister came over for brunch and Husband made us pancakes and bacon. Then, Mom, Sister, and I went to The Kennedy Center to see Wicked. It was a lot of fun. After the play, Husband, Little Miss and I met the In-Laws and Nephew at a local carnival where Little Miss rode the Merry-Go-Round, motorcycles and boats. Then, she played a carnival game and we left. It was very hot. We drove a little ways and got some ice and custard at Rita's. We got home late, but everybody had a good afternoon and a great weekend.

Weekend Update - Videos from the Weekend

On Sunday, we went to a carnival (more during the weekend update), but here are two videos of Little Miss enjoying herself on both the train (with Mother-in-Law and Nephew) and on the boats. I don't know where she thought she was steering, but she was steering that boat like it was her job.

Movies Watched in June 2011

1. Super 8
2. Cars 2
3. Cars
4. No Strings Attached

I saw the first two in the theater and the second two on DVD. Decent month all around but no stand outs.

Books Read in June 2011

1. The Pirate Hunter by Jennifer Ashley (NOTE: This is part of a series. You can find more information and order in which to read here.)
2. The Care and Feeding of Pirates by Jennifer Ashley (NOTE: This is part of a series. You can find more information and order in which to read here.)
3. The Chase by Erin McCarthy (NOTE: This is past of the Fast Track series. You can find more information and the order in which to read here.)
4. Dreaming by Jill Barnett (NOTE: This book is the companion book to Bewitching which gives you background information on the secondary characters in this book.)

Good month for reading. Dreaming was a straight reread. I rarely do complete rereads, but it was nice to visit a sweet, classic romance novel.

Weekend Update - Fun in the Sun

My goal to have Little Miss sing Firework on video didn't pan out, but I'm not giving up.  Either way, Friday and Saturday were spent cleaning or at least cleaning up.  On Saturday, we had friends over for dinner and had a nice evening.  Little Miss received a present from the newlyweds and spent Monday night decorating (video below with a picture of the final product).

On Sunday, we went to Brother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law and Nephew's pool until the storms came in. Little Miss is now tall enough to walk through some of the pool which makes her feel like quite a big girl.

On Monday, I mostly slept the day away, but Husband and I had a relaxing evening watching all the firework shows on TV. Good long weekend with a little bit of everything - friends, family, and relaxation.

Passing on Our Childhood

Last weekend, Husband woke up with Little Miss and the two of them watched a couple of episodes of The Smurfs. She said she liked it but didn't talk too much about them. Later, we were walking to the store to run some errands, and she was acting really silly - walking backwards and singing a nonsense song. I asked her what she was doing and she replied, "Mommy, I'm just smurfing."

Weekend Update - First Movie

I took Little Miss to her first movie last Saturday. She really wanted to see Cars 2. Husband had the car so we took the train. She got fruit snacks and got very excited. She watched the previews and, towards the last preview, crawled up onto my lap. As the Pixar short film began, she fell asleep - and slept through about half of the movie. She did wake up and enjoyed the second half. She talked quite a bit about the movie for the rest of the weekend so all was not a waste. After the movie, we walked from Courthouse to Clarendon. She played at the playground and then we went to Metro back home. Except the Metro was packed. So, I decided to walk home. It's not a big walk, but it's a distance I usually drive and most who read this blog knows my severe allergy to exercise. Still, Little Miss enjoyed it (of course she did, she was in a stroller).

On Sunday, we all woke up early. Husband had an early tee time. Little Miss was very mad at him for leaving. Then, Little Miss and I went to church to see a friend's baby get baptized. It was a beautiful day. Little Miss was a little tired and hyper from being overtired, but she was no worse for her age group, I suppose. We came home around naptime and both took a nice, long nap. Then, there was dinner, bath and bed. Nice Sunday if I do say so myself.

My Good Reminderer

Actually, overall, Little Miss has a good memory - and sometimes she uses that memory for good. 

Example of good - "Daddy, don't forget to buy OJ."
Example of bad - "Remember you forgot your wallet?" 
(This example is only bad because she reminds me of it quite often and it happened 2 months ago.)

This morning, halfway to our destination, I realized I forgot my lunch.  This was what I heard from the backseat:

"Don't be sad.  You can make it tomorrow.  I'm a good reminderer."

Now I'll have to see if she reminds me to make my lunch tomorrow.  She probably will.

You Look Stinky

The other morning, I was getting ready in the bathroom. I had gotten dressed and was putting the finishing touches on my makeup before running out the door. Little Miss picked up my deoderant. She looked at me and said, "Mommy, you need deoderant." I said I was good but thanks. She looked at me again and said, "You look stinky." Seeing as I just stepped out of the shower and it wasn't an overly warm morning, this was highly unlikely. I just said, "Well, I guess I need deoderant now. Thanks a lot." (Insert heavy dose of sarcasm.) I guess a double dose never hurt anybody, and it's a good thing I don't let a 3-year-old's opinion hurt my feelings.

Full Moon

We were at the mall last weekend.  Little Miss got out of the car and said she had to fix her underpants.  What she didn't share with us was how she planned to do that.  Next thing Mom and I knew, Little Miss had her skirt and underpants down around her knees.  Luckily, we were in the corner of the parking garage so I don't think anyone could see her business, but I also didn't think I've have a kid take her drawers down in the middle of a parking lot.  I'm so proud.

Weekend Update - Wicked Father's Day Crawfish

On Friday, I had a lazy night. We just had some leftovers for dinner and watched a DVD. Little Miss gave us some trouble going to bed, but I told her we were going to a party on Saturday. She argued that she didn't want to go to the party. I said we'd discuss it on Saturday.

On Saturday, we were woken by Little Miss running into the bedroom with her pajamas half undone and off. "I need to get dressed to go to the party!" she exclaimed. I told her to go pick something out so she ran back to her room. She ran back into our room with a t-shirt and underpants. She claimed she couldn't find any pants. So, I got up and got her a pair of shorts. I've never seen her get dressed so quickly. She rushed so much that she couldn't get her arms through the shirt. Unfortunately, at this point, it was 8:30AM and the party wasn't until 2PM.

At 1PM, we did head out to our friends' house. We brought crab dip and had a lot of great fun and great food. After, I came home and Husband I vegged out again.

On Sunday, Husband woke up with Little Miss because Sunday is my day to sleep in a little.  Then, we had a pancake breakfast.  After brunch, Little Miss and I head to the Fair Oaks Mall with Mom to see the giant bubble. It has costumes and promotional items from the play Wicked (which I'm going to see in just a couple of weeks). Then, we hung out at my parents' house for a little while. Sister, Brother-in-Law, and Nephew came over later. Then, Little Miss and I left, hit the grocery store and came home to celebrate Father's Day. I'm making crab cakes, rice pilaf and stuffed tomatoes - all of Husband's favorites.

Not Cool

I got out of the shower today, threw open the shower curtain, grabbed my towel ... and was greeted by a toddler and a cell phone camera.  FML.

(NOTE:  I can only hope I yelled at her to evacuate the area as soon as possible before she took a picture, but unfortunately, Husband isn't very eager to check and delete.)

3 is a Fun Age

I keep telling myself 3 is fun, and it is. Little Miss is turning into a person. There are conversations, singing, joke-telling, running, jumping, all sorts of things. However, her fears are also taking shape though some are convenient fears. For instance, sometimes, she's scared of the dark when it's bedtime, but sometimes, she's not. "I can't go to bed," she'll say. "It's spooky in my room." Yeah, I don't buy it.


Anyway, today, she was on the couch. We were ok on time, but I could see she was about to hit a wall and stop getting ready. So, I was trying to push her to keep moving. She curled her legs up on the couch and said "there's a bug on the floor". Now, there's no bug on the floor. I told her, if there was, I'd be right up on that couch with her. Of course, this is why she's scared of bugs - because she's seen me absolutely freak out. So, I told her the bug couldn't hurt her (especially because it was imaginary). All she needed were her super shoes. So, I put on her shoes and told her no bugs could hurt her now. She looked at me, looked at her shoes and jumped off the couch to go brush her teeth. Sometimes, kid logic amuses me. Just not when she can't go to bed because her room is spooky.

What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up?

The other day, Little Miss said she wanted to be a construction worker when she grows up. She does love tools and tries to "fix" things all the time at home. I told her she could be anything she wants to be when she is bigger (which isn't the truth necessarily but it's a good answer to a 3-year-old). Later that night, Husband brought up the subject and asked why she wants to be a construction worker. She said she wanted to build something which I thought was a cute answer. Lately, she talks about building something out of brick. I wonder if there is mention of the Three Little Pigs in her daily schedule and she's concerned about our safety.

Weekend Update - Birthday Fun!

It was my birthday weekend last weekend.  We were lazy on Friday and just got pizza and vegged out.  On Saturday (my actual birthday), I had a bad headache.  So, I woke up with Little Miss who was super cuddly and we just kind of sat on the couch and cuddled watching morning cartoons.  When Husband woke up, I handed Little Miss off and rolled over on the couch and took a full-fledged morning nap.  Husband went golfing while Little Miss and I took a walk.  At the end of our walk, Little Miss and I took a nap.  After a half hour or so, I got up to clean a little and get ready for an evening out.  Husband came home while Little Miss stayed sleeping.  She slept so much and so deeply, I went to my birthday dinner without them.  Two friends and I went to Ray's Hell Burger Too, and it was delicious.  We'd been wanting to try the place out for quite some time, and it was worth the wait.  I'd like to go again without the headache.  After, we all went to see Super 8 which I liked.  It's not my usual movie, but it had heart and, well, Kyle Chandler.

On Sunday, we were lazy and then went to my parents' pool with my parents and sister and nephew.  Then, the storms moved in and we moved indoors.  We then had dinner there and head home.  It was the most relaxing weekend we've had in awhile, and it was perfect - except for the headache.

Bad Mommy

So, Little Miss has been wary of putting her face in the water. So, while we were playing in the pool, I gave her a little push. She lost her balance and fell under water. The water was less than a foot deep and she had an inflatable vest on so I wasn't that worried, but I helped her too her feet. I made a big deal of the fact she went under water and clapped my hands. Here is how our conversation went:


Me: "Yay! You went under water! You did great! How did that feel?"
Little Miss: "It was fine. Just don't push me again."

Divine Little Miss

Little Miss looked at me this morning in the elevator and said "When I'm cranky, I'm Sarah Bernhardt."


I laughed and asked her who called her that. She said Father-in-Law did. I said my mother used to call her aunt that when she was little, too. So, maybe we have a budding actress. Or, you know, a girl.

Weekend Update - The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

Last Friday, we did a small celebration for Husband's birthday. I bought him an individual cake so we could blow out a candle (and Little Miss blew out the candle and ate his cake). Then, we gave him his present. I bought him a couple of books last week and Little Miss wanted to get him M&Ms which she decided is the best birthday present you could give a person.

On Saturday, Little Miss didn't feel well so, even though she woke up early, she slept a lot. Therefore, I slept a lot. We slept separately and then together on the couch. We pretty much slept the day away.

On Sunday, Little Miss felt much better. Husband went golfing in the morning. Little Miss had a big brunch of scrambled eggs with cheese and tater tots. Then, we took a walk around the neighborhood. After, we went to cash in on my free ice coupon at Rita's and met Sister-in-Law and Nephew at their pool. The kids had a blast. The boys came home and more friends joined, and we had a relaxing afternoon at the pool. Good, relaxing weekend - especially because Little Miss was a very good girl and got more and more healthy as the weekend went by. More stories to follow.

Books Read in May 2011

1. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
2. Lover Mine by J.R. Ward (NOTE: This is part of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. You can find more information and order in which to read here.)
3. Nowhere Near Respectable by Mary Jo Putney (NOTE: This is the third book in the Lost Lords series. You can find more information and the order in which to read here.)
4. The Pirate Next Door by Jennifer Ashley (NOTE: This book is the first in her Pirate series. You can find more information and the order in which to read here.)
5. Bossypants by Tina Fey

Good month for reading after a slow start.  I'm really getting back into historical romances.  I read them from time to time, but it's nice and refreshing this month for some reason. 

Movies Watched in May 2011

1. Bridesmaids
2. The Hangover Part II
3. The Lincoln Lawyer
4. Too Big Too Fail

I saw all those movies in the last week.  The rest of the time, I've been watching some TV on DVD which is why my rental list looks so low lately. The last is a HBO film.

YUMMY

I made this last night and, if I do say so myself, it came out super yummy.  I don't think it needs nearly as much butter as it calls for though.  First time I do a recipe, I follow it closely, but I'll cut back in the future at least at the onion stage.  The arugula, tomato and mozzarella add a nice bit to the sandwich, too.  I made mine with a small handful of tater tots, but it's a pretty good meal by itself or with a side salad.


You can find the recipe from the link or here (reprinted without permission, but I did credit it and shows where you can go get it, and it's not like I'm getting any money out of it).  Also, I did not take the picture.  I took a picture, but it's not as pretty.


MM Sandwich
Serves 4


Ingredients:
2 whole medium Onions, Halved And Sliced
1-1/4 stick Butter
2 pounds Cube Steak, Cut Into 1/2-inch Strips
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
5 dashes Tabasco Sauce
4 wholeDeli Rolls (crusty), Split
8 slices(thick) Fresh Mozzarella
8 slices(thick) Ripe Tomato
1-1/2 cup Arugula


Directions:
Season meat with salt and pepper. Set aside.


Melt 1/3 stick of butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onions for several minutes, until golden brown. Remove to a separate plate and set aside.


Return skillet to stove and increase heat to high. Add another 1/3 stick of butter. When melted, add meat to pan in a single layer. Do not stir. Allow meat to sit, undisturbed, for a minute in order to brown. With a spatula, flip meat to the other side and allow to brown. Reduce heat to low. Add onions back into pan, then add Worcestershire, Tabasco, and remaining 1/3 stick of butter. Stir and allow to simmer, adding more Worcestershire or Tabasco as desired.


Melt 1/2 stick of butter on griddle or in a separate skillet. Place roll halves, cut side down in butter and brown over medium-low heat until golden brown.


To serve, spoon meat/onion mixture over bottom half of rolls. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons pan juice over the top. Lay two mozzarella slices on each sandwich, followed by two tomato slices. Top with a generous amount of arugula, then press the top half of the roll on top. Cut in half and serve immediately.

Happy Birthday, Husband!

Happy birthday from your girls! I hope it's a fabulous day.

Weekend Update - Memorial Day

Last Friday, we went to Little Miss's school concert. Her last official day was last Thursday, but the Tuesday/Thursday class could participate in the concert on Friday. The kids did a lovely job. Little Miss just stood there and occasionally clapped her hands.  Below is a photo from the little reception after the concert.

On Saturday, we drove to Deep Creek Lake for a beer festival.  There were also activities for the kids.  One of those activities was a Sno-Kone which Little Miss LOVED.  She amused many with her blue face, teeth and shirt.

We had a cookout Saturday night and all went to bed pretty early.  On Sunday, we went to the lake where the kids had fun in the sand and sun.  Then, we went back to the house where the kids played a little baseball and then got into the hot tub to play.  The heat is turned off in the summer and it's like a little pool.  This is the first year Little Miss was tall enough to reach the bottom.  She's growing so quickly!  You can tell from the picture that she absolutely adores her cousin, too.   She followed him around all weekend and did everything he did and said everything he said.

On Monday, we went to the white water rafting portion of the Wisp resort, but the water was drained.  However, the kids had fun in the tiniest little puddles.  Below is a photo of Little Miss and me.

So, good weekend had by all.  (Also, for non-related, grown-up fun, Husband and I saw Hangover 2 on Friday.  We had a lot of fun.  I think the movie was on par with the first one.  Yes, it was more of the same, but we went in with that expectation.)

What was your first CD?

I read this article which mentions Lady Gaga's first CD purchased with her own money. I was horrible. I totally refused to make the conversion to CDs. I loved my little tape player. However, eventually, I just had to bite the bullet. My first CD was The Cranberries Everybody Else Is Doing It. Oh, the irony. Hm, I think that's irony. Stupid Alanis Morisette has ruined the concept forever. I am not sure I still have the CD. It's actually doubtful, but if I do, it's purely for sentimental reasons.

Weekend Update - Wedding Bells

Last weekend, Little Miss and I were in a wedding. So, Thursday, Little Miss and I drove to the airport to pick up a fellow bridesmaid. Then, we dropped Little Miss at school. We ate a quick breakfast and then three bridesmaids and the bride went to get our nails done. We also had a nice lunch and went shoe shopping - quite a lovely day. On Friday, we traveled to Pennsylvania for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. It was a nice evening. Little Miss was very good. She was very confortable with everybody.


On Saturday, Little Miss joined the ladies and got her hair and make up done. Then, she got to ride in her first limo. The women toasted with flutes of champagne and Little Miss had a juice box. Here is a picture from the limo:

We mostly just hung out at the venue for a couple of hours. There were some pictures and a lot of eyes on the weather. The ceremony was to be outdoors, but there was rain in the morning and more predicted throughout the day. As it turned out, the weather held off and never went beyond a misting during the ceremony so we got to have the wedding outdoors as well as a handful of pictures.

 

 Above is a picture of the women in the bridal party surrounding the beautiful bride.

 

Above is a picture of the cranky Flower Girl.  She didn't really nap and it was a rough day for her because we arrived to the venue around the time she would have napped so there were a few tears, but I think the peer pressure of getting to stay with all the grown-ups helped.  She didn't break down for long.  I was very proud of her.

Above is the Flower Girl walking down the aisle.  She was very good.  She walked down slowly and all by herself.  I couldn't really see her, but I heard she did excellent.  During the ceremony, she did whisper that she had to go to the bathroom so I told her to go to Husband.  She walked over to him (luckily in the second row) and he tried to discreetly escort her into the building.  Halfway down the aisle, she turned to the bride and groom and shouted "Be right back!"  I've heard from nearly everybody how adorable she was, but it isn't asadorable when it's your kid.  I was just glad she didn't announce that she had to go to the bathroom or exactly what she had to do in the bathroom.
After the wedding, we had pictures taken on the golf course.  Little Miss wanted to come because it was her chance to ride in a golf cart.  So, the groomsman was very patient dealing with me in a long dress and a toddler.  Plus, he kindly made sure the seat was dry for us which I appreciated.  While we took pictures, Little Miss decided it was her chance to run as far as she could while all of the bridal party was occupied.  She took off in the middle of the course so I had to hike up the skirt and try not to destroy the course with my 4" heels.  I'm thoroughly thrilled that Father-in-Law captured this moment on video, too.  I can still hear Little Miss's giggles.  She knows I hate to run. 

It was a fun reception.  Little Miss ate like a champ and then, before the music started, fell fast asleep.  She spent the evening with the In-Laws while Husband and I got to party and sleep late.  Then, we all went to brunch the next morning and wished the bride and groom well.  Good time had by all!

Little Miss "Reading"

Little Miss has memorized a couple of very short books about Snow White.  Last week, I videotaped her.  Enjoy!



Husband's Favorite Story

While the Husband's hockey team was still in the Playoffs for the Stanley Cup, I was talking with him.  So, I was going on and on about something wildly important and Husband's eyes were starting to glaze over while he wondered how long he had to pretend to listen before he could give the 1% of attention given to me back to the game.  So, Little Miss turned to me and said "Mommy, stop talking!"  Husband then laughed as if she took the words right out of his mouth.

Weekend Update - Mother's Day

On Friday, Little Miss had a Mother's Day Tea at preschool. It was adorable and the kids were so cute.

On Friday night, we cleaned like crazy people. On Saturday morning, I drove Little Miss to my parents' house so she could spend the weekend with them while we held our Fourth Annual Kentucky Derby Party. We played drinking games, watched the Derby, ate a lot and watched the Pacquiao/Mosley fight. A good time seemed to be had by all.

On Sunday, we went to pick up Little Miss from my parents' house. As a thank you, my sister and I took my parents out to dinner. Dinner was great and the kids were good - though restless towards the end. It was a good Mother's Day.

Miss Moon

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but Little Miss always calls the moon "Miss Moon".  It's always exciting to her to see the moon.  It's especially exciting for her to see Miss Moon during the day.  The other week, it was a big full moon so we rushed her out to the balcony to see.  She gasped and looked up and said "She's so beautiful!" 

Plays Well with Others - NOT

Little Miss rarely talks about school.  We try to prompt her often.  The other week, she was saying how two girls in her class are mean to her.  I thought this was unusual so I asked why she thought they didn't like her.  It's been so long that I'm only sorry I don't remember the exact details, but it finally came out that the little girls said "no" to her because she stole their toys.  Awesome.  So, I have the big, fat, demanding bully in school.

Weekend Update - Bowling

Two weekends ago, it was supposed to be a quiet weekend, but we ended up doing quite a bit. I'll see if I can jog my memory and remember what we did. On Friday, I met a friend after work for a drink and a movie.


On Saturday, Little Miss and I went to my parents' house, I believe. If I recall correctly, the kids played very well together. It was a quick visit. After, we went grocery shopping and head home.

On Sunday, we met Brother-in-Law and Nephew to go bowling! The kids had a blast. Little Miss loved it and wanted to stay.

Movies Watched in April 2011

1. Kick-Ass
2. Tangled
3. Easy A

Not a bad movie month. I watched Kick-Ass just for Hit Girl's purple wig and want one so badly. I thoroughly enjoyed Tangled even if Little Miss wouldn't sit through even the opening with me. I enjoyed Easy A quite a bit and laughed out loud in parts. I had lowered expectations for Water for Elephants so wasn't terribly disappointed in it. The adorable elephant made up for a few of the shortcomings, I suppose.

Books Read in April 2011

1. The Guy Next Door by Lori Foster, Susan Donovan and Victoria Dahl
2. Rock Hard by Olivia Cunning
3. Night Road by Kristin Hannah
4. Dark Horse by Kate Sherwood
5. Ryan's Return by Barbara Freethy

Good thing I read a lot last month! I've read almost nothing this month. Fun month - lots of quick reads with only Kristin Hannah to act as the heavy dramatic read.