Weekend Update - Music and Vodka

This past weekend, I ran home on Friday so Husband and I could go to see The Lumineers with Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law.  We tailgated and then went into the concert.  It was a lot of fun.  I overindulged just a little, but the band was great and the weather was beautiful.

On Saturday, I got ready early to go to a golf outing in which Husband was participating.  It was a Skirt Off so all 20 men dressed in kilts (or makeshift skirts) and teed off from the front tees.  After, we celebrated Husband and Brother-in-law's second place finish with some food and drink with the group.  Then, we ran a few errands and met friends at The Dave Matthews Band concert.  The concert was awesome, but the weather was not awesome.  Luckily, we had seats in the amphitheater.  It poured about half of the concert.  I zipped up my hoodie and put up my umbrella for the lengthy walk to the car and only got wet on my legs and feet.  Husband got soaked.  I was designated driver home which was uneventful.  I was asleep almost immediately when we got home.

Today, we slept late and then Husband went to pick up Little Miss.  We've been getting in a lot of cuddle time, but I think she is glad to be home.

Weekend Update - Week of Friends

While Little Miss was in Florida, I was very busy!  On Monday, I had a friend in from out of town and met her for dinner at Old Ebbitt Grill.  It was a lot of fun and the food was delicious (seriously, chocolate chip bread pudding - must have it!).  On Tuesday, another friend was in town, and I met her at Chef Geoff's downtown.  We just did burgers and dessert.  I mean, who can turn down doughnuts on the dessert menu?  

Then, on Wednesday, I met a bunch of girlfriends in Atlanta.  We had such a great time.  On Wednesday, we went to the RWA literacy signing.  I met Jill Shalvis, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Julie James - along with Mary Jo Putney, Susan Mallery and Farrah Rochon - and saw hundreds of others.

Thursday, we hiked up Stone Mountain, had lunch and then had cocktails in the Botanical Gardens.  On Friday, some of us went to the aquarium and some toured CNN.  Then, we went to Buckhead to have a really amazing dinner before we all said goodbye to head home throughout the day on Saturday.

My flight was delayed hours coming home on Saturday, but Husband was there to pick me up when I did finally land.  We scooped up Little Miss from my parents and then went to a friends' house.  Husband's friend and his wife and son were in town.  At the end, we were all exhausted.  We had to make a quick stop at the store on the way home because Little Miss was hungry at almost midnight.  I went to bed as soon as we got home while Little Miss ate and Husband took a shower.  Little Miss fell asleep at the kitchen table.  We all slept half the day away the next day.

When we got our act together the next day, we caught the end of the British Open and Little Miss wanted to play golf so we took her to the driving range.  Her clubs are still a little bit, and we were all still a little sleepy, but it was a successful trip.

With a little discipline and confidence, Little Miss will improve.  She still enjoys it at least. 

Weekend Update - Disney Bound (not us...)

On Friday (7/12), we dropped Little Miss off at my parents' house.  We stayed for dinner and then wished them a bon voyage.  My parents, Sister, Nephew and Little Miss drove to DisneyWorld for the week.  Meanwhile, on Saturday, Husband and I got to go to the other Nephew's birthday party.  The little man turned 3.  It was a golf-themed party and a lot of fun.  After the party was over, we stayed for some pool time and dinner.  We were exhausted when we got home!

On Sunday, the boy golfed while I met with friends for lunch and a movie.  Then the boy and I had a quiet little evening.  I successfully made pot roast and gravy which was quite yummy.

Weekend Update - Independence Day

I'm a bit behind with so much to report!

On the third of July, I got out of work early so I picked up Little Miss for some fun with Sister-in-Law and Nephew while the boys golfed.  We had a lot of fun and ended up ordering Japanese food and made plans to come over the next day.  The cousins were very happy.  On the Fourth of July, we hung out with Brother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law and Nephew at their pool.  We had a nice cook out where we ate too much.  It was so much fun.

Only July 5, the In-Laws, Brother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law, Nephew and the three of us trekked up to Baltimore to visit the Science Center and planetarium and then went to an Italian restaurant for dinner.  The weather was beautiful and the kids had a blast.  I'm still dreaming of pasta.

That Saturday, we had a family pool day with a lot of fun in the sun and then a feast of Chinese food. 

Not in My House

Last weekend (more whenever I post a Weekend Update), we dropped Little Miss off so she could go to Disney World with my parents, Sister, and Nephew.  On Sunday, the whole group met up with Brother-in-Law and his fiance and father.  So, I know Little Miss was spoiled rotten.  They spent a good part of the day at the Magic Kingdom.  We got to catch up with Little Miss at around 9PM.  She was full of laughter and giggles.  My dad came on to say that she was polite and well-behaved - and exchausted.

She must have been exhausted because she woke up this morning and woke Nephew to tell him she had an accident.  She told him it was a secret because she didn't want to get in trouble.  He assured her that she wouldn't get in trouble so they told my sister.  I'm glad she didn't freak out.  She has so few accidents and hardly any at night that I thought it would freak her out, but I'm glad Nephew was there to help.

Still, if she's going to have an accident, it's best it be on an rubber air mattress.  In Florida.  With my someone else.

The 2013 Campaign

Well, life in the metro DC area is full of politics.  Someone is always wanting something.  There is a lot of shady deals and people acting on their own agendas.  This is no different within our household.  

A certain Little Miss has decided she wants a baby sister.  Named Kayla.  She's very specific.  It was cute a couple of months ago.  This past week, she's taken to begging.  Then, she changed tactics.  She's now listing her great qualifications as a big sister.  She is campaigning hard.

I keep telling her it's great that she's an only child.  A new baby would take away from her attention because we'd be busy looking after a baby.  She countered with the fact that she would be such a great help.  She could help feed her.  Yesterday, she pushed her cousin in his stroller and she wanted me to see how helpful she was steering and pushing the stroller now that she's a big girl.  She also has taken to positive visualization skills.  She starts sentences with "When my baby sister comes..."  Yesterday, I told her she needed a second bathing suit because she outgrew her ones from last year.  She said I need to get two so her baby sister will have one.  Seriously.  This is how our conversations go now.

I've tried to tell her that she may not get a sibling or a baby sister OR, horrors upon horrors, she could get a baby brother.  She did not hear me suggest there be no sibling at all.  No reaction.  As for the baby brother, she said that would be ok, but she "likes girls better".  

I just pray everyday that she doesn't say the phrase she says at home to anyone outside the house - "I can't wait for my baby sister to come!"  If she does, I'm going to explain that there's no baby, just an extra 5 pounds, but thanks for asking.

Husbands - Is it still illegal to shoot them?

Just for the record, that is a hypothetical question.  I'm not considering it.  This is important for the future.  I want to make it clear that I am not actually literally considering shooting him so this is not considered a premeditated act if something, say, happens in the future.

Husband flipped out because he couldn't find his second bathing suit.  Therefore, I must have left it at the Jersey Shore last summer because it was my job to pack the suits.  Yesterday, I asked why he packed a bathing suit if he was wearing one.  It was the one I "lost".  It turns out it was in the beach bag - the same beach bag he looked in at least a dozen times.

Yesterday, we went visiting with Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law.  Husband packed all his stuff for after the pool in the beach bag.  To make room, I packed out clothes in a separate bag and the pool items only in the beach bag.  When we got back to their apartment, he got into a giant tantrum because his deodorant was missing.  I must have left it at home when I was transferring the bags.  It turns out he left it in the bathroom.  I told him I must have put it away for him yesterday instead of packing it to come with us.

This happened at least a couple of more times where he blamed me for losing or misplacing items I never touched.  The pinnacle of his crankiness happened last night where he worked himself up enough to yell, "I don't understand why you just don't know where everything I own is at any single moment of the day!"

It's always nice to end arguments with laughter.  Otherwise, I'd be asking if it was still illegal to shoot husbands. 

Books Read in June 2013

1. Just One Kiss by Susan Mallery  (NOTE:  This is part of the Fool's Gold Series. You can find the order in which to read it here.)
2. Lush by Lauren Dane  (NOTE:  This is part of the Delicious series.  The order of which can be found here. However, this series is very close to the Brown series and many characters appear. You can find the order to that series here.)
3. It Had to Be You by Jill Shalvis (NOTE:  This is part of the Lucky Harbor series. The order of which can be found here.)
4. One Ssweet Ride by Jaci Burton. (NOTE: This book is part of the Play by Play series. The order in which to read can be found here.)
5. The Perfect Gift by Jennifer Ashley  (NOTE:  This is part of the Mackenzie Family series.  The order of which can be found here.)
6. Two of a Kind by Susan Mallery  (NOTE:  This is part of the Fool's Gold series.  The order of which can be found here.)
7. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin  (NOTE:  This is part of the A Song of Ice and Fire series.  The order of which can be found here.)

Big month and all spread out. Lots of fun little romances. Then, I finally finished A Game of Thrones. I've read the book on and off for years. Literally years. I finally finished it. I did buy the second book, and hopefully, it won't take me years to read that one.

Movies Watched in June 2013

1. The Great Gatsby
2. Star Trek Into Darkness
3. Dark Shadows
4. Much Ado About Nothing

It looks more impressive than it is, but it's better than last month.  I took Mom to The Great Gatsby for a belated Mother's Day present.  I don't know that it needed to be in 3-D, but it was a visually beautiful movie.  I saw Star Trek for my birthday, and that was a fun action movie with pretty boys.  I'm going to pretend I watched Dark Shadows on HBO, but Brave on Starz made up for it.  It was worth the wait.  Snuck in Much Ado About Nothing on the last day of the month.  It was really good, and I can take or leave Shakespeare.

Weekend Update - Summertime!

Last weekend, I got soaking wet walking home from work. It took my shoes 2 days to dry out. 

Saturday, we were given a beautiful day though. Little Miss and I went out to my parents' pool to celebrate my dad's birthday and Father's Day - both a little belated. We played at the pool with my parents, Sister and Nephew. We had lunch and snacks. Then, we went back to the house for dinner. We all ate ourselves silly and had cake as more of a symbolic gesture than anything else, but it's not a birthday without cake!

On Sunday, I met a friend in Bethesda for lunch and a movie. It was a really good day even if my GPS took me the scenic route home. The company and the movie were great. Husband golfed most of the weekend. It led into a quiet evening which was a great way to cap off the weekend.

Hockey

Little Miss has really enjoyed hockey this season.  We took her to a Rangers game during Spring Break.  She would watch the first period of the Playoff games with Husband before bed.  She was learning the players and their numbers.  She wore her jersey often.  Then, when the Rangers were eliminated, Husband had her rooting for Boston over the Pittsburgh.  So, when it came down to Boston versus Chicago, she continued to root for Boston on her own.  

During the last game, she said she was rooting for the "Bostons to win because I want them to win the Champions' Cup."  Unfortunately, she woke up to disappointing news.  

Lawyer Perhaps?

Little Miss is very influenced by advertisements.  She knows many jingles by heart.  She sings the Nationwide jingle all the time for instance.  The latest commercial that has caught her fancy is one for Flashlight Friends.  She mentioned to Husband the other night that she really wants one.  If you don't click on the link, they are stuffed animals with a built-in flashlight.  She said if she had one, it would help her read in bed and help her become a better reader.

That's sound logic right there.  There's a good chance she may be getting a Flashlight Friend. 

Honesty, Thy Name is Toddler - Part 2

As I mentioned here, Little Miss had a sleepover at the In-Laws' apartment. When I picked her up the next morning, I asked how her weekend went. She looked at me and said she had fun, but "Well, you won't be happy with some of it." 

As it turns out, she gets spoiled at her grandparents' house and things aren't done the same way they are done at home which is expected - one wants grandparents to spoil because many, many children don't have grandparents these days. One day (and soon, I imagine), she'll start to keep secrets from me so I try to react calmly so she'll share information with me as long as possible. In the meantime, I'm going to glory in the fact that she's still honest with me.

Honesty, Thy Name is Toddler

I don't wear green often.  Nothing personal, but I just don't have a lot in green.  The other day, I chose a green floral tunic top that I've worn maybe once before.  Little Miss looks at me and says, "Ugh, that color looks awful on you.  You should wear this shirt."  She then handed me a pink shirt.  So, I wore that one.  It is unclear if I will ever wear that green shirt again.

Weekend Update - Busy Bees

Two weekends ago, we had a busy weekend.  On Friday, I took the train and met a former co-worker for dinner and a walk around the mall.  It was a really nice evening.  Although, you should never mix martinis and shopping.  Regardless, it was a great night.

On Saturday, the three of us went to a BBQ at friends' house.  Then, we dropped Little Miss off at the In-laws' apartment with her cousin for a sleepover.  Brother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law, Husband and I, and two other couples went out for Mexican and then went bowling.  It was a lot of fun.  We were all feeling no pain except for our bowling scores.

On Sunday, Husband went golfing while I lounged in bed.  Then, I picked up both kids and met Sister-in-Law.  We went to the playground with the kids and then Little Miss took an unplanned nap.  When she woke up, the boys got there, and we all went to the pool.  We ordered pizza and then head on home. 

It was a great weekend, but it left us exhausted.  I think I spent all weekend recovering.

Too Many Choices

Last weekend, we went to a BBQ where it was BYOB.  So, I let Little Miss pick her own juice boxes to bring.  She stood in the large aisle looking at all her options.  Meanwhile, I was just wanting to run in, pick out our beverages and run out.  So, I tried to push her along.  She looked at me and said firmly, "Mommy, I need you to give me patience."

I counted to ten.  She chose juice boxes and then said, "See, when you give me patience, I make a choice!"

She's got a point.

Weekend Update - Father's Day

Last weekend, I came right home after work ended at 3PM and took Little Miss to the park for her last playdate with her friend.  Her friend and her family are moving to Poland so we tried to get as many playdates in as possible.  Because neither girl wanted to be sad about the parting, they decided to bicker the entire time, but they did part as friends.  On the way home, I picked up a small pizza for Little Miss for dinner.  She ate half of the 10" pizza and declared it "the best pizza in the world".

On Saturday, Little Miss had her last swim class.  There was a substitute, but she did quite a bit.  At the end, she got a certificate.  After, we came home and napped.  It was glorious.  Then, we cleaned.  And cleaned.  It was much-needed.

On Sunday, I got up with Little Miss because it was Father's Day.  We had a big breakfast and beat the storm and took a walk.  During our walk, we snacked along the way.  Little Miss had a cake pop and I snagged some frozen yogurt.  Then, we went to the store to cook Husband's dinner for Father's Day.  Husband got some crab dip and a pasta dish.  It was a nice relaxing day despite a couple of meltdowns on everybody's part. 

We had some tentative plans, but this was the last weekend we had before a bunch of very busy weekends so we stayed in which was perfect and relaxing.

oooops...

Little Miss came stomping into the living room today and announced that yesterday was Flag Day.  She said she wanted to celebrate, and we missed.  I responded that I forgot.  I mean, even if I didn't forget, it's not normally a holiday I celebrate outside of stating, "Hey, today is Flag Day."  So, she gives me this look of utter derision and says, "Well, now you know."  

Yes, now I know.

Family Pictures

Just a sampling of some of our family photos.



Below are the ones we purchased:

All in all, we were happy with them.  The process is always tedious (bordering homicidal for Husband), but we only do them every other year as a family.  Little Miss LOVES having her photo taken.  She'd still be there posing if we let her!

Spelling Humor

You know, when you spell hippopotamus, it starts with H-I-P-P... and after that, you lose a 5-year-old's attention because there is PP in the middle of the spelling.  *sigh*  I can't wait until her humor graduates beyond the bathroom.