Work Thanksgiving

Work Thanksgiving is always fun.  It's so much food.  I love that it's pot luck because we really great a great variety of fantastic food.  Some of it is even warm.  Actually, a lot of it is warm, but it's just difficult to heat up all of those dishes and keep them all warm for the entire office to sample.  As with one of the years past, I made cranberry sauce.  Most people dislike cranberry sauce or, at the very least, are indifferent.  I love it, but it has to be whole berry. 

Here is my recipe:

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

12 ounces fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 tablespoons Cointreau liqueur

Directions:

1. Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. 
2. Bring to a boil; add cranberries, return to a boil. 
3. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (Cover so the cranberries don't spit at you while they pop.)
4. Remove from heat. Add orange zest and Cointreau (or Grand Marnier) and stir. 
5. Let cool at room temperature. 
6. Refrigerate until cold, or serve at room temperature.  The longer it sits or chills, the more it turns to jelly which is nice.

Weekend Update - Lazy Weekend

The second weekend of November brought another birthday party. Including Little Miss's birthday, we had 5 birthdays in 6 weeks. It was a little crazy. This particular birthday was a bowling party. It was controlled chaos as every child birthday is. Afterwards, Little Miss had a sleepover with the Inlaws. She fell asleep in the 2 mile drive from the bowling alley to my Inlaws. It was cute. She came home for dinner the next day, and Husband and I enjoyed sleeping late and being lazy.

Weekend Update - Party On, Little Miss

I'm so behind on my blogs, but here goes my effort to catch up. In the first weekend of November (yes, I'm that behind), we had Little Miss's last soccer practice of the season. It was very, very cold. She was a trooper, but it was just very, very cold. After, we ate a quick lunch and drove to a birthday party. Little Miss had a blast. She would have done karaoke non-stop if you let her. Afterwards, because we were so close, we went to Ikea. By now, it was dinner time so I picked up some food and we bought new bedding for Little Miss. She has a bed from Ikea which only Ikea sheets fit. Then, as we were on our way out, she discovered the play area. I didn't realize that you left your kid there for a half hour. So, I had a half hour to kill while she attacked the ball pit. She absolutely loved it. On the way home, she fell asleep which was good because she was jumping on my last nerve.

On Sunday, we went out to my parents' house because my grandparents were in town. Little Miss really enjoyed her time with her cousin, but she was having some trouble keeping up with the big boys. Later, after Sister and Nephew left, she really enjoyed having her great-grandparents' attention all to herself.

Sexy Friday

Robert Downey Jr. gets better with age. Seriously, who knew he'd still be around this long? I mean, there was no question he could act, but his career had a little quiet spot right there in the middle, and now he's a superhero! He's always guaranteed to make me laugh as Tony Stark even if I'm not a huge fan of the franchise. I told Husband that Tony Stark was a rich, egotistical, pompous dick and that he reminded me of him except he wasn't rich. He looked a little offended. *g*

Sexy Friday

I'll admit it. Arrow is my new guilty pleasure - or it would be if I felt guilty for watching it. It is in no small part to Stephen Amell. He's been in many shows that I've watched - though I've abandoned the shows before he made an appearance. An interview has him discussing his issue with nudity in his guest-appearances in Hung so I may have to find that later.  Either way, very pretty.

Tidbid

Last night, while I was reclining on the couch, Husband took the lead with Little Miss.  She took out her crayons and paper to draw.  Husband wanted to tell her something.  Without looking up, she says to him, "Not right now, Daddy, I'm working."  

Further tidbit, she was working on a family of 12 ghosts.  So cute.  She's been quite the little artist lately and really starting to draw things that look like objects.  Her work from school is very impressive.  Tomorrow is our parent/teacher conference so I'm really interested in what the teacher has to share.

Show and Tell

Show and Tell is usually on Friday.  We generally forget.  This week, because there is no school Thursday and Friday, Show and Tell was moved up.  I told Little Miss to remind me last night so we could get it all together.  Then, I wasn't feeling well.  And, well, we forgot.  We pull into the school parking lot, and she goes, "Mommy, we don't have Show and Tell."

So, I figure I must have something in my bag, but I check the trunk first.  We decide a reusable shopping BAG starts with "B", but then I find a discarded, broken set of beads so she takes that instead.  While walking inside, I also remembered that she had a book in her backpack so I also convince her that BOOK and BACKPACK also start with "B" so she was more than set.

I felt a great sense of accomplishment in the last moment before being handed the Worst Mother in the World trophy.

Jokes

Over the last year, Little Miss has been mastering the art of joke telling.  Now, toddlers learning to tell jokes is probably the funniest thing ever.  They're very literal.  Plus, they find themselves hilarious.  It took Little Miss about 6 months to figure out the Interrupting Cow joke.

In case you didn't know it, it goes like this:
#1:  Knock, knock.
#2:  Who's there?
#1:  Interrupting cow.
#2:  Interrup - 
#1:  MOOOOOOO!

So, the other day in the car, Little Miss says a classmate came up to her and said, "Tangerine!"  She just started laughing and laughing.  Tears-in-her-eyes-laughing.  She goes, "Get it, Mommy?  TANGERINE!"  

I didn't, of course, but I laughed along with her.

Spilling Secrets

Little Miss made me promise not to tell anyone this, but since then, I've told like everyone I know.  So, Little Miss told me that her cousins are like her brothers, that she loves being a "sister".  It was so flippin' cute.  She told me she wanted a sister.  I did my usual nodding and smiling.  Yesterday, I asked what she'd like to name her sister (this response changes often which is why I like to ask).  So, she said "Sophia".  Husband's last name starts with an "S" so I asked her if she thought that sounded silly to have an alliterative name.  She said that wouldn't be her name.  So, I asked what her name would be.  She answered, "Sophia Tulip".  

It does seem like family tradition to have a name after a flower as my grandmothers are and were Violet and Fern.  Tulip seems too much, but what do I know.

Halloween

On Halloween, Little Miss and I met a classmate and his family at the mall for trick or treating while Nephew went around my parents' neighborhood. Little Miss declared it too cold to trick or treat outside. It worked out because she got far less candy that way and had a blast with her little friend. We all met back at the house for the all-important candy swapping and pictures.

Last Friday, Little Miss had a Halloween parade at school. Earlier in the week, I sent in cookies and goody bags for her birthday, too. We told her that we couldn't make it because we had to work, but we would make it to her Thanksgiving show. She was ok with that, but Husband surprised her at the parade at the last minute which made her so happy.

Above is photographic proof that she lives in her Snow White costume. I came home from a night out with a friend last Friday, and this is what greeted me when I went into Little Miss's room. I had to take a picture!

Reading!

Little Miss is doing a great job as an early reader.  She's not independently reading, but she recognizes so many words and is reading many simple books - namely Mo Willems's Elephant & Piggy books.  She has quite a bit of them.  Last weekend, she went so far as to read her birthday cards to my grandparents.  She's so proud of herself.  It's really adorable.  She loves books.  As much as she loves tv, she does love games, arts and crafts and books.  Mostly, she watches tv when it's most convenient for us.  

I'll try to get her on video reading soon.  I keep forgetting because I don't want to get her self-conscious or have her get too showy for the camera.

Sandy

Just to put it out there, we weathered Sandy just fine.  We made the mistake of telling Little Miss that, if she was scared, she could come sleep in our room.  The first night, we plunked her back in her bed.  The second night, when Sandy was actually supposed to hit, we blew up her air mattress.  So, she went straight there and slept on the floor instead of with us which meant we all got a good night's sleep.  None of us had to report to work or school Monday and Tuesday so we just hung out.  Husband and I had some light work to do.  Little Miss played with her new toys, and we did some arts and crafts.  On Tuesday, after the worst of the storm blew through, we took a walk to rid ourselves of cabin fever.  We had lunch and walked around the neighborhood.  

We did lose water for half the day on Monday.  We lost power for an hour or so while they tried to repair our water.  Overall, it was an adventure.  We snacked without the power.  Little Miss liked the flashlights and candles.  Then, just when the novelty was about to wear off, everything came back up.  I think she had the most issue with the fact we couldn't flush.  Then again, we all had a little issue with that.  Still, all in all, we can't complain when others suffered (and still suffer from) so much damage.

Weekend Update - Birthday Girl!

Two weekends ago, Little Miss turned 5. 5! My parents came out to watch Little Miss play soccer and then were a big help getting ready for the party. There was a very small amount of time between the two. We had chicken tenders, finger foods and those Mummy Dogs. There were 2 beautiful cakes made by my father-in-law. There was a movie playing as well as arts and crafts, a bean bag toss, decorate your own pumpkin (gourd) and ring toss. Mostly, the kids liked the run around though.

On Sunday, it was Little Miss's actual birthday which she declared would hold another party. She wanted decorations, cake, and basically an entire party. We told her she could have a party if she napped. So, while she napped, I hung up streamers and blew up balloons. She got to blow out the candles again on leftover cake. Husband made her her very favorite dinner.

 

Little Miss received many nice things for her birthday. She's played with a lot of things which is different from the past. She's declared dolls from her favorite show and a trunk full of dress up clothes were her favorite. As a matter of fact, she's worn her Snow White costume almost every day. I've had to hand wash it three times in the last week. She's even gone so far as sleep in it. I think the party was a success and much tamer than last year. 

Movies Watched in October 2012

1. Battlestar Gallatica
2. The Avengers

The new tv season always slows my DVD/streaming viewing. This month was no exception. Also, I’ve just been busy with various things. I’m kind of getting into BSG and can see why so many enjoy it. I haven’t made it through the miniseries yet, but I look forward to jumping into the tv show portion. I had no doubt that I would enjoy The Avengers, and it did not disappoint. I would like to see the sequel in the theater, but I said that about this one. Sometimes, things just don’t work out.

Movies Watched in September 2012

1. Finding Nemo
2. Scandal

I saw next to nothing this month - again. The kid and I did go see Finding Nemo 3D. We actually watched it on DVD first to see if she’d like it. Then, we saw it on the big screen the next day. She napped a bit, but she liked it. It’s such a colorful movie. I think she prefers the musicals, but there aren’t as many. So far, The Lorax is the only movie which kept her attention and awake the entire time, but she does like going to the theater. It’s a nice escape for me, too. I have only seen the beginning of Scandal. If I ever complete Season 1, I did record Season 2 on the DVR so I can continue watching if I get hooked.

Books Read in October 2012

1. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
2. A Fool’s Gold Christmas by Susan Mallery (NOTE: This is the first of the Fool’s Gold series. The order of which can be found here.)
3. My Liege of Dark Haven by Cherise Sinclair (NOTE: This is part of the Mountain Masters/Dark Haven series. The order of which can be found here.)
4. Coming Undone by Lauren Dane (NOTE: This is the second book of the Brown siblings about the Brown siblings and their friends. The order of which can be found here.)
5. Inside Out by Lauren Dane (NOTE: This is the third book of the Brown siblings about the Brown siblings and their friends. The order of which can be found here.)


Gone Girl is the book that took me about 3 weeks to read.  That said, I sat down with it 3 times and each time read about 100 pages.  The last day, I just read half the book until I finish.  It will consume you and you'll want someone with whom to discuss it.  I thought Fool's Gold Christmas was very sweet and a nice conclusion to this portion of the series.  I haven't read many of the Dark Haven books because they are mostly short stories, but I may go back to catch up (which is rarely done with me).  I was more invested in this story than the previous books I had read, but I also liked that past characters made appearance.  Still, it isn't my favorite series of hers.  Lauren Dane is a recommended authors and, so far, I really enjoy her books.  I'm finding these last two were great, and I'm really liking the current book.  Her books haven't clicked with me in the past, but I'm glad I gave her another shot.

Books Read in September 2012

1. Changing the Game by Jaci Burton (NOTE: This is the first of the Play-by-Play series. The order of which can be found here.)
2. Taking a Shot by Jaci Burton (NOTE: This is the first of the Play-by-Play series. The order of which can be found here.)
3. Playing to Win by Jaci Burton (NOTE: This is the first of the Play-by-Play series. The order of which can be found here.)
4. Laid Bare by Lauren Dane (NOTE: This is the first book of the Brown siblings about the Brown siblings and their friends. The order of which can be found here.)


Not a lot of books this month. At the end of the month, I started a book that took me a very long time to get through. You’ll see that one listed in the next post. I loved it, but I got busy and the book was really good so it was slow-going for me.

Sexy Friday

I can't admit honestly that I'm a huge fan of Zac Efron. That said, I'll admit that I no longer see him as a kid. I don't see him quite as an adult though. One of my many issues with The Lucky One is that I kept viewing him as a kid mixed in with all the adults. Still, if I was a little younger, I'd find him completely dreamy.

Roared Their Terrible Roars...

I saw a little boy who looked just like this picture. He was SOOOOOO cute. I wouldn't stop gushing over him. This is humorous because I've gotten over a bout of baby fever, too. Either way, he was adorable. Also, if I ever have a baby boy, he's totally going to be Max one day. More on Halloween at a later time - once I've loaded all my photos. Perhaps tonight.

Halloween Mummy Dogs

I made these for Little Miss's birthday Halloween party last weekend. You can find the "recipe" here. Mom did most of it. I was in a hurry so the hot dogs were too hot to hold the eyes, but they were very cute and went very quickly. We did 2 packages and they were the first food to disappear. Next year, I'll have to do more. They also cook up really fast which is nice especially because I had very limited time to make them between soccer and the party. 

 I also made jack o'lantern tangerines/clementines for the goody bags. I just drew on tangerines with a Sharpie. They were simple and cute (and tasty). More on the rest of the party in the weekend update. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of pictures, but I do have a few at least.

Cute Tidbit

I drop Little Miss off at school every morning where I have some - though limited, contact with her classmates.  One little boy comes up to Little Miss every day.  She finds him utterly amusing.  He's been talking to me more and more.  He always calls me "Little Miss's Mom" which is kind of cute (and he's not the first kid to do so).  Earlier in the week, we had a conversation that went like this:

Little boy:  Little Miss's Mom!
Me:  Yes?
Little boy:  You look a lot like Little Miss.

I don't know what prompted him to say it that day versus others.  Maybe it's because I was wearing flats so we weren't so difference in height.  Or maybe it's because I wasn't wearing make up.  Either way, I'm taking it as a compliment.

I like Pina Coladas...

Mom and I were talking about Escape (the Pina Colada song) earlier this month.  I said I liked it, but the couple bothers me.  I mean, they are basically a bunch of cheaters.  So, she wanted to know what I meant.  I explained the song and then played the song to her.  Still, I suppose it shouldn't surprise me that she only liked the catchy chorus and had no idea what the song is about at all. 

Sexy Friday

I could have sworn Idris Elba was already a recipient of Sexy Friday, but I've checked my notes and he has not. I watched him (on and off) in The Wire and started watching him in Luther. I think he's great, and I love that he can do drama and comedy. Plus, come on, he's all sexy and British.

Weekend Update - Cleaning House

It was a nice weekend. On Friday, we caught up on some television on the DVR. On Saturday, soccer was cancelled because the storms needed to recover after the storms through the night. So, I slept late and hoped Little Miss didn't burn the house down. She didn't. In the afternoon, we walked to Clarendon for Little Miss's school fair. She had fun. We then had a mother-daughter lunch at The Silver Diner. Then, we hit the library and walked back home. I took a nap later that evening, and it was glorious. Then, I rented a movie and went back to bed. 

On Sunday, it was my goal to clean house. I admit that I wanted to do it before last Sunday, but we're down to the wire before Little Miss's birthday party. So, Sunday, I slept a little late, but then I set to work. I started in our walk-in closet and just started tossing. I played my iPod and just got down to work. Husband came in to tell me that Little Miss took a CD out and put it in her CD player and actually cleaned her room. I guess it does help to lead by example! I cleaned our entire bedroom not including Husband's stuff. Tomorrow, I plan on doing the kitchen and the odds and ends that I've been collecting from the other rooms. I'm on good pace to leave cooking and goody bag assembly for Friday evening. Then, Saturday is the controlled chaos called a 5th birthday.

Where the Wild Things Are

It is not news that I love Where the Wild Things Are.  Last night, I read the classic to Little Miss.  She gets to pick a book and I get to pick a book at bedtime.  She usually picks old favorites.  She doesn't read the same book all the time, but they are the same handful.  So, I try to sneak in a new one every so often - at the very least for my own sanity.  She noticed that this copy was from Nanny and Papa (because my mom writes the date in every book she gives), and I said it was my book from when I turned 5.  Well.  That just made it the perfect book according to Little Miss who is going to be 5 - just like I was.  

Also, when we got to the last page, she asked me to read it again because it really made her laugh for some reason.  "And it was still hot." 

Weekend Update - Pumpkin Time!

Last week was our 13th wedding anniversary so we celebrated by going to Atlantic City Wednesday through Friday. We did not win big if that's what you're wondering. When we got back, we ran a bunch of errands and had a nice evening with Little Miss.

On Saturday, we went to soccer practice and then met Brother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law and Nephew at the pumpkin patch. Little Miss had a lot of fun sliding and playing and climbing and riding a pony. Then, we picked out pumpkins, went to dinner and went straight to bed - it was a long day! That didn't even count the what seemed like hours we spent in the corn maze.  We ate all our snacks and drank all our water.  Truth is, we probably spent 15 minutes or so, but it's so frustrating!  Never again.  *g*

On Sunday, I took Little Miss to book club brunch at Cheff Geoff's. She was very good and really liked being with all the grown-ups. Afterwards, we both took a little nap. That evening, I met friends in the city for dinner. We got so carried away that we barely caught the last Metro train back to Virginia! It was a lot of fun, but I was very tired this morning. Good friends, great food and wine will do that to a person, I guess! It was well worth the loss of sleep.

Weekend Update - Whistle While You Work

Last week, on Friday, I met a friend for dinner and drinks.  

On Saturday, we did a lot of cleaning. I straightened up the front hall closets and Little Miss's room as well as my book cases. It wasn't as far as I wanted to go, but it was a good start. It went a long way to unclutter the small apartment. Basically, I wanted small woodland creatures to do all my cleaning, but there weren't any. 

On Sunday, I met friends at the Taste of DC. Lots of yummy foods. While I was with friends, Husband and Little Miss went to a birthday party of one of her school friends. The weather was horrendous, but it sounded like the kids had a blast.

Weekend Update - Soccer & Fall into Fairfax

The last weekend in September was busy! We went to Little Miss's first soccer practice. She had her pink shin guards and her princess ball. She was a little trooper. She may lack natural talent and interest, but she gave it her best shot. You can see a video down below.

After soccer, we walked to the planetarium. Little Miss made her own star chart and had a blast. For 3 weeks, she begged to go back. I knew she'd enjoy it, and I'm glad she did.

On Sunday, Little Miss and I met my parents and then my sister and nephew at the Fall into Fairfax fair. Little Miss had a blast - junk food, rides, photos with people in furry costumes. It was everything she's ever wanted all in one place.

The Final Frontier

 

Image provided by Jason Ware from this website 

Little Miss has been obsessed with space for a little over a year. It's not an unwavering obsession, but it hasn't lessened. Last year, she got two books on space for Christmas and they are in frequent rotation. She usually specifically loves Miss Moon. Even this morning, she gave Miss Moon a loud greeting and wave on the way to school. She loves it when you can see Miss Moon during the day. She's expanded her knowledge to planets and stars. She had a blast at the planetarium last weekend and has been asking to go again. She asks to be quizzed daily on some factoid. I've now started to Google things to ask her because she's smarter than we are. 

The other morning, I asked her what galazy includes the Earth. I ended up telling her it was the Milky Way galaxy. She turned up her nose. 

 "I don't like the Milky Way," she declared. 

I had tuned her out by then and ended up responding, "The candy bar?" 

She had the nerve to tsk me and shake her head. She's getting very big and very smart. I don't know if I like it.

More Fall TV

Last week, I caught Elementary and Last Resort. 

I thought both had strong enough pilots. Elementary had some accurate reviews. The show is mostly a procedural. Yes, Sherlock is a familiar character - both the actual Sherlock character and by being represented by characters who have been inspired by him. Still, I liked Johnny Lee Miller's Sherlock enough. I wish Dr. Watson wasn't so dull. I realize she's the straight man, but I didn't feel Lucy Liu gave was as captivating. 

The Husband and I also caught Last Resort. I liked the pilot. It was very interesting and full of intrigue. It had a lot of actors I like in it. I do worry because the ratings weren't, and continued to not be, strong. 

The Husband watched on his own Vegas and liked it quite a bit. The series is still on our DVR so I may try to catch up, but we'll see. Line has to be drawn somewhere. 

The last remaining show I have on the DVR is Nashville. I've heard nothing but good things, but I'm still wary because it's not my usual type of show. I haven't cut many, just a comedy here and there, but it is a definite fact that not all of the Fall shows will last - either by my choice or the networks.

Fall TV

So, this Fall, between Husband and me, we tried a lot of new tv shows. 

During the Olympics, we gave Go On and Animal Practice a shot. Husband did not give Animal Practice a go because he does not have the same sense of loyalty to Justin Kirk as I do. 

 This Fall, we tried Guys with Kids, The Mob Doctor, Revolution, The New Normal, The Mindy Project, and Ben and Kate. Husband did not watch Guys with Kids or Revolution. 

Also, thanks to Netflix, I have watched past episodes of Parks and Recreation and Doctor Who and am all caught up for this season. 

Currently, I am watching Scandal and recorded tonight's episode for after I watch all 7 episodes from last year's mini season. 

So far, so good. I know many who enjoy the show so I thought I'd check it out. Anyway, here are my reviews so far: 

1. We still enjoy Go On.
2. I could barely get through the first episode of Animal Practice.  The same with both of us with The Mob Doctor.
3. I thought Guys with Kids was mediocre.  I would watch it again if my plate wasn't so full, I think.  The same with The New Normal.  I liked it, but Ryan Murphy has burned me before with a strong start before going over the top and inconsistent.  I decided to pull the plug before it let me down, but maybe I'll go back periodically.
4. I'm still into Revolution, but we'll see.  It's not my standard fare.
5. We somewhat enjoyed The Mindy Project and Ben and Kate.  We'll see.  I wasn't totally invested, but I'm curious to see if they get stronger or develop characters over the next couple of episodes.

I have three more shows I'm going to try to watch this season so I'll report back later once I've watched them all.  I'm actually proud that I'm staying up-to-date with everything.  Once it becomes overwhelmed, I'll have to break up with something and comedies are always the first to go. 

Weekend Update - The Boss in NJ

Last Friday, poor Little Miss had a dentist appointment. She handled it like a trooper. She admitted to crying but because of the noise, she insists, not pain. After, she recuperated very quickly. We then left to go to New Jersey. Husband and I had a delightful and relaxing dinner at Il Villagio. 

On Saturday, we slept late. Then, we went to friends' house where we carpooled to Met-Life Stadium to see Bruce Springsteen again. We hung out in the parking lot for a handful of hours and then found out that there was a rain delay. You can find a recap here. The concert was fantastic. We didn't get to bed until 4AM and it was worth it. 

The playlist was as follows: 
1. Out in the Street 
2. The Ties That Bind 
3. Cynthia (tour premiere) 
4. Badlands 
5. Who'll Stop the Rain 
6. Cover Me 
7. Downbound Train 
8. We Take Care of Our Own 
9. Wrecking Ball 
10. Death to My Hometown 
11. My City of Ruins 
12. It's Hard To Be A Saint in the City 
13. Jole Blon (With Gary US Bonds) 
14. This Little Girl (With Gary US Bonds) 
15. Pay Me My Money Down 
16. Janey Don't You Lose Heart (full band premiere) 
17. In the Midnight Hour (tour premiere) 
18. Into The Fire (tour premiere) 
19. Because The Night 
20. She's The One 
21. Working on the Highway 
22. Shackled and Drawn 
23. Waiting on a Sunny Day 
24. Meeting Across the River (tour premiere) 
25. Jungleland 

ENCORES 
26. Thunder Road 
27. Rocky Ground 
28. Born To Run 
29. Glory Days 
30. Seven Nights to Rock 
31. Dancing in the Dark 
32. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out 
33. Twist and Shout 

 On Sunday, we went back to our friends' house and watched the Jets game. Then, we head on home. It was an exhausting weekend from which we are still recovering, but it was worth it!

Our Soccer Star

OK, technically, she hasn't played soccer yet.  Her first practice is Saturday.  We'll be out of town.  We're horrible parents.  Still, she has all the necessary items on her list - athletic shirt, shorts (and sweats), shin guards, cleats.  She wanted pink.  My parents looked everywhere for pink shin guards.  Her cleats also have pink stripes on them.  She chose her soccer ball as well - a pink Disney princess soccer ball.  She's pretty excited.  I can't wait to hear her report Saturday afternoon!

Weekend Update - Bruuuuuuuuuce!

Last Friday, I took some vacation hours and met Husband's friend. Then, the two of us drove into the city to meet up with Husband. The three of us had a couple of beverages and dinner. Then, we went to Nats Park to see Bruce Springsteen. You can a summary of the concert here. It was a great show. We've never seen him before. As a passable fan, I enjoyed myself a lot. As a huge fan, Husband was in heaven. Stay tuned for next week's update because we're seeing him again next Saturday. The set list is below:

1. Prove it All Night (with 1978 intro)
2. My Love Will Not Let You Down
3 .The Ties That Bind
4. Hungry Heart
5. We Take Care Of Our Own
6. Wrecking Ball
7. Death To My Hometown
8. My City Of Ruins
9. Spirit In The Night
10. Blinded By The Light (tour premiere)
11. Jack Of All Trades
12. Jackson Cage
13. Shes The One
14. Johnny 99
15. Darlington County
16. Shackled and Drawn
17. Waitin' On a Sunny Day
18. The Promised Land
19 .Racing In The Street
20. The Rising
21. Badlands
22. Land of Hope and Dreams
End main set Encores:
23. We Are Alive
24. Thunder Road
25. Born to Run
26. Detroit Medley
27. Dancing in the Dark
28. Tenth Avenue Freeze-out
29. American Land (with guest Ali Weinberg - Max's daughter - on accordion)
30. Twist and Shout

Photo credit:  Catherine Andrews @candrews via TwitterFans fill the field at Nationals Park in Washington, DC Friday night for the Bruce Springsteen concert. 
 
Little Miss spent the evening with the In-Laws. She loved every minute. When she came home on Saturday, Husband went to a friend's house to watch college football. Little Miss and I went to pick up cleats for soccer (along with a pair of sparkly pink shoes). We had some dinner and cuddled on the couch to watch Finding Nemo. The little one was tuckered out from her sleepover the night before and fell asleep cuddling. It was super sweet, only slightly dampened (literally) by her cuddle sweat. 

 On Sunday, we had a nice family breakfast. Husband's friend came over to watch football while Little Miss and I went to the theater to see Finding Nemo in 3D. We watched it the day before so she could be prepared. The shark (Bruce) scared her in the trailer, but he's friendly more or less so watching it twice helped a lot. After, we ran some errands and then went to Sister's house to have dinner with her, Nephew and my parents. It was a good afternoon. None of us were ready to greet another Monday though.

Books Read in August 2012

1. All Summer Long by Susan Mallery (NOTE: This book is part of the Fool’s Gold series. The order of which can be found here.)
   
2. Hard to Resist by Janelle Denison
3. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
4. Convincing Quinn and Breaking Beau by Chloe Cole
5. Kissin’ Tell by Lorelei James (NOTE: This is part of a series. You can find more information and order in which to read here.)
6. The Dom’s Dungeon, Master of the Abyss and Hour of the Lion by Cherise Sinclair (NOTE: Master of the Lion is the sequel to Master of the Mountain which I read but do not have previously listed. The others are either stand alone or the first in a series.)
7. Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn (NOTE: This book is the sequel of sorts to The Lost Duke of Wyndham though the books take place simultaneously. After reading this one, I went back and skimmed the other.)
8. Unleashed by Cherrie Lynn (NOTE: This is the first book before Rock Me which I read previously. I think the second book is much stronger, but I hate to leave a series unfinished.)
9. Baby Bonanza by Maureen Child
10. The Perfect Play by Jaci Burton (NOTE: This is the first of the Play-by-Play series. The order of which can be found here.)


Lots of books this month. It was a lot of fluff though I started some mainstream fiction books. I was on vacation so the quick reads were perfect. It’s hard to concentrate on bestsellers for me with waves and sun. You’ll probably see those titles later in the year. I’ve been reading some great books, just waiting for time to really sink my teeth into them.

Movies Watched in August 2012

1. Into the Woods

I saw next to nothing this month. However, I’ve watched 2 seasons of Parks and Recreation this month so that explains it. I’ve also been rewatching stuff on Netflix or on my DVR. Also, 2 weeks of last month, I was on vacation so there just wasn’t opportunity to see much.

Weekend Update - Not much to report

Nothing much happened last week.  It was a successful week at school.  Our routine worked well.  Little Miss went to bed early for us each night.  We were on top of forms and homework and lunches.  On Friday after work, we went grocery shopping as a family and then had a late night.  As thanks, Little Miss slept late on Saturday.  We played Chutes and Ladders (I lost).  Little Miss had big meals which worried me she was having another growth spurt, but I think she was just hungry.  Then, we cleaned up a little bit and took naps.  In the evening, Little Miss tried her new food of the week (sweet potatoes).  They were a bomb, but she did enjoy the pork and rice part of the evening.  I gave her some applesauce to take the place of sweet potatoes.

On Sunday, Husband woke up with Little Miss.  Then, I was called in for reinforcements as she tossed her cookies.  Again and again.  Poor thing had a low fever and was sick on and off.  She also dozed quite a bit.  She was a pretty good trooper though.  I gave her some juice and crackers.  She asked for some more so I went to the store for more crackers.  She ate oyster crackers and wheat thins.  Then, she had an English muffin for dinner.  This morning, she seemed fine.  She's had bad allergies or a light cold so we'll watch her, but I'm sure she just needed the rest.  

Here's hoping the second week of school goes just as smoothly.

School Days

Yesterday was the unofficial first day of school. Little Miss the official first week of school so this is our first week of school. She got up very early (for our house) and had some father/daughter bonding time while they watched some cartoons. Then, Husband makes her a nice breakfast (waffles yesterday and French Toast today). Then, he gets her ready and dressed. If you're asking yourself what I do, I get myself ready and lay out her clothes and pack her backpack the night before. I also handle homework, any forms and administrative stuff. We both remind her of Show and Tell (which starts this Friday!)

When she returned home, she was so full of energy and excited. She even talked about her day briefly which is huge for her. Usually, there's radio silence. We set her up to do her homework.

She has a little homework book in which she practices the letter of the week - upper and lower case. Then, she chooses pictures that start with the letter of the week from magazines and cuts and glues them into the space. This week was the letter M.  She came up with the words Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Mommy, Moon, Mail and Mary.  She did a great job with the capital M, but the lower case m was trickier.  Also, she likes to write on the upper part of the lined paper, still taking up half but the top half.  I'm not the teacher so I let it go.  It'll happen eventually.

Weekend Update - Back to the Real World

Brother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law and Nephew left on Saturday. In-Laws and we left on Sunday. That gave us Labor Day to recover. On Labor Day, we mostly cleaned a little, took the car for a wash and went grocery shopping. We got ready for our entrance back into the real world.

I know I only worked two weeks in August, but I don't want to go back to work! I've had no luck gaining sympathy though.