I'm In Love With My iPad

It's 12:50 am and I am sick in bed, and on my 2nd attempt at blogging from my new iPad 2. I bought it about a week and a half ago and I am still a bit overwhelmed. I don't feel like I'm non-techy, but I am obviously not a computer genius.

Needless to say, I am in love with this magical machine. I take it everywhere...to the point where my friends make fun of me. I just tell myself they're jealous...(I've noticed that the ones who have an iPad, don't tease me. I rest my case).

So after hours of downloading apps with no real purpose, I decided to see what there was for blogging. I researched it. There were not too many choices, but after long consideration of which app was going to get my $2-5, I settled on blogsy. So this is my attempt at using my new app. It seems very cool, however, I started 45 min ago and lost my first post. Let's see if this one actually gets posted to my blog.

Fingers and toes crossed! :)

Happy New Year

The wind is howling outside, the rain beating against the house in a fury...a blustery end to the first day of 2011.  I made my family french toast and bacon for breakfast, had snacks and watched the new Karate Kid in the afternoon, and made ham, mashed potatoes and corn for dinner.  It was a lazy day, spent with the people I love...sans Madi; she spent the night with a friend.  

So I sit here now, contemplating the upcoming year.  I've got my list of resolutions in my head, one of them being  this daily journal; a task I almost failed to complete in time.  Rather than the usual resolutions, I've decided to keep it to these things:

1)  Be patient

2) Be kind

3) Open my mind to new possibilities

4) Embrace change

5) Give 110% of myself in all I do

6) Love without expectation

Happy New Year...to a wonderful 2011!

What I'm Thankful For

After many weeks of not posting, I suddenly find myself sitting at my mom's kitchen table with hours to kill and everyone sleeping.  This was not planned, actually, annoyingly enough I could have slept in. My mom misread the directions for the turkey and said it needed to cook for 9hrs...not correct.  After getting up at the butt crack of dawn and washing the turkey, I found the cooking directions...it's really only 4-5 hrs.  She hadn't scrolled down far enough and gave me the thawing out time.  But I still love her. So as I sat here drinking coffee, I realized, maybe there was a reason this happened...and I decided to dust off the keyboard and write a post.

For some reason I have been extremely emotional these last couple of weeks.  Granted, I've had a lot going on...a new boss, boyfriend got a job, which created child care issues...but yay...he got a job!  Major drama with the ex over Madi's hair...we bleached it platinum and she manic panic'd her bangs purple...this did not go over well (this will be whole different post).  And I miss my son...A LOT.  Seeing him every few weeks is painful...dropping him off is even more so. 

However, with all of the downs, there are ups...and with every disappointment, there is something to rejoice about...And so this is what I am thanful for this year:

1. My children are healthy and happy.
2. I am healthy, I have a good job and great friends.
3. I have a boyfriend who is kind and loving, as well as strong and opinionated...he doesn't bend to my way of thinking.  He tells me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear.
4. That I had an upbringing with values that have served me well...lessons I can pass on to my children.
5. That I am strong and also sensitive...that I have not become jaded by bad experiences, but had the wisdom to take them as lessons and move forward. 
6. I am thankful for everything that I have...including the problems I face, which keep things in perspective and remind me everyday how blessed I truly am.
7. To be able to witness the people my children are becoming.  To have my heart surge with pride at how sensitive and compassionate my daughter is; while at the same time see how passionate and strongwilled she is when she believes in something.  To be able to watch my son grow into a sensitive and strong man...one who is courteous and caring, with a witty sense of humor.
8. The messy kitchen, which  means we have food to eat.  A messy house, which means we have a home to live in.

The list could go on and on...and I don't want to bore you to tears.  So on this day, I will make a wonderful meal, gather my family around me and thank God for all I'm blessed with. 

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving with the people you love. 

Hair Heartbreak...or Maybe Not!

My beautiful and spontaneous daughter got bored the other day and decided that her layers needed to be shorter.  She had asked me the day before to book her a hair appointment, which I agreed to do.  Apparently, it wasn't fast enough for her.

I get this text message that says, "should I tell you now what I did, so you don't flip out when you get home?"  I had heart palpitations as I asked her what she'd done.  She sent me this picture message:

I looked hard, I squinted...all I saw were really straight bangs and uneven ends.  So I asked her if she meant the bangs and shorter hair.  She said yes, so I replied with, "Cute!  I'm just thankful it wasn't a facial piercing."  To which she replied, "Yeah, cuz I would really have the guts to do that!"  Good to know...

So I get home, knock on her door and I see what the photo did not reveal...the top of her head is now two inches long.  I say in an exasperated tone, "Why did you do that to your hair?!"  She asks me to please not lecture her...and that she needs a hair appointment.  Yeah, no kidding.

Just the other day she confided in me that she wanted to go back to regular high school!  Inside I was jumping up and down and doing an end zone victory dance.  Now I'm looking at her hair and wondering what this is going to do to her confidence...and her decision to attend a new school.

I asked her what she was thinking...she said her layers were too long, so she thought she would trim them.  I reminded her that I was making her a hair appointment.  She said she knew that...she was bored...(one of the side effects of online high school, just say'n).  She asked me, "Haven't you ever cut your own hair?"  I said, "Yeah, when I was four."  I asked her how she wasn't crying and she told me, "I did that earlier." 

So I hugged her...and called my new emergency hair stylist, Amy Maggipinto/Miracle Worker, to come to the rescue.  She had recently fixed my own haircut disaster just the week before.  Only difference is, mine wasn't self inflicted.  Amy fit me in the next night.  Did I mention that Amy rocks?!

So the next day, after work I picked Madi up and off we went to Bellisimo Salon where Amy works her magic.  Amy took one look and made Madi promise to call her the next time she felt the need to cut her hair.  She volunteered to be her hair sponsor.  I cracked up..."Madi, step away from the scissors...I'm on my way!"

My heart was in my throat as Amy razored away Madi's hair...all of it gone.  What remained, was a cute, edgy haircut that completely fit my daughter's personality.  I looked at Madi and asked her how she was doing...she said, "I'm fine!"  

My daughter never ceases to amaze me.  She is strong and fearless.  She wants to be accepted, but on her own terms.  She has a bleeding heart and a fierce temper.  She is loyal, kind and expects everyone to be that way.  I am so proud to be her mother...and I cannot wait to see the woman she will grow to be.  Madi is going to make a difference in this world...just you wait and see!  

Rocky Horror

A couple of weeks ago, my daughter asked if we could rent The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  I explained that it wasn't a movie you rented, it was a movie you went to.  She just looked at me like I was crazy and old.  She said that she had watched it at a friend's house and they did this Time Warp dance.  I cracked up and told her what it's like to go to Rocky Horror.

Fast forward to last Friday...I'm in downtown SLO, on an errand.  I look up and there on the Fremont marquee is The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Oct 19th.

I think to myself...this is not a cowinkydink!  I got home later that night and told her that we were going to Rocky Horror and she was SO excited.

One cannot attend Rocky Horror without props...rice and toast, etc.

Madi was VERY disappointed that she didn't dress up...NEXT TIME!

The Virgin Rocky Horror Atttendee

Madi HAD to get her picture taken with these hardcore enthusiasts.

Costume Contest

Right before the show they had a trivia and costume contest.  Then the movie started.  We threw rice, we covered our heads with newspaper to avoid getting wet, we sang, we laughed, we got hit by toilet paper, we threw toast...it was a fun, fun time.  

There were moments that I thought...wow...this is pretty racy...but then I would look over and she would be laughing.  Later I mentioned it and she said, "Mom, this is nothing...you should hear the things kids say." 

On the way home, we spied a curbside treasure...

Madi had to have it...she begged, she pleaded...I said, "That is NOT going to fit in the car."  She insisted it would...

She was right...so we took her treasure home...she was so happy!

Yeah, that's right...it FIT!

I love my daughter!

I'm kinda digg'n this chair too...

What a NIGHT!

So HAPPY!

Later, Madi came up and hugged me and said she had the best night EVER!  We talked late into the night...this was the best night EVER for me as well...

Rainy Sunday

This morning I woke up to the sound of rain...I love the sound of rain...and the smell.  My dogs on the other hand are not as excited about this as I am.

I knew that Oliver was not going to step one paw onto the damp ground, so I let him go out the front door this morning where there is a covered walkway.  Peek-a-boo was also very particular about where she did her business this morning.

So the dogs have been out, I'm fixing breakfast, and it suddenly hits me that the dog's bowls are outside...where it's WET.

This is how much my dogs HATE the rain.  They would rather starve than go out under the alcove and eat.  Spoiled rotten dogs!

By the time I figured this out...they were HUNGRY!

Now that they are full, they are lounging around, enjoying the sound of the rain with me.

Peek-a-boo relaxing

Oliver taking a snooze

Then suddenly, out of no where...is the LOUDEST clap of thunder...

MOM!!!  What the hell was that?!

Happy Sunday!!

Holy Cow! What Happened??!!

This is me...three years ago.  I'm skinny, I'm tan...

This is me now...what the hell happened?!

So basically, I compared these pictures today and decided that something HAD to change.  I may not want to do 60 flights of stairs like Karen from The French Skinny Experiment, but I need to do them.  

About 2 weeks ago, I joined the gym with my daughter.  As she is only with me every two weeks, I have not gone once since she has been gone.  This stops tomorrow!  

I've also stopped eating processed foods for the most part. I am now going to start watching my portion control...or rather, my self control.  

I started my quest this morning.  I drank a cup of coffee before leaving the house.  At the office I made myself some organic oatmeal that I found at the grocery store.  I was very skeptical, but it is REALLY good!  It is called Better Oats Raw Pure & Simple.  

When it comes to lunch, I often eat out.  My plan is to start making a lunch each day.  Today however, I ate out...French Skinny style...

Hearty Crepe with chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, pepperjack cheese, onions, sliced almonds in a balsamic sauce served with a side salad and roasted red potatoes.

I found a lovely little restaurant called Le Ciel Crepe Cafe in San Luis Obispo.  It was wonderful...I want to eat there everyday!  I ate about half of my lunch and saved the rest for later.

Dinner was roasted pork loin, corn and quinoa.  Quinoa is my new favorite replacement for rice or potatoes.  It has the texture of cous cous and can be cooked a million different ways.  Not only that, but it's one of the world's healthiest foods.  You can read more at whfoods.org; just type in quinoa in the search bar.  

Well, now that I am armed with a plan, or at least high hopes, I'm off to bed...to dream of a skinnier me and the new wardrobe I'm going to buy!