Today. . .

. . . I am so kicking myself for not checking blogger for updates.  I've missed out on using this new post editor which is so much more efficient and quick, for who knows how long it's been available.

. . . I am missing my happy girl.  She has been possessed by badness for the last couple days.  I am hoping she is sick.  Is that bad?  ;)  Otherwise, I may have to face the fact that this is a preview of of the terrible twos to come.  Sob, and I just can't believe that.

. . . I am glad that our backyard is in fact not lightning sand after over a week's worth of rain pounded it.  Tromped around out there this morning with the landscaper and I didn't even lose a flip flop in it.  Yes, I know shoes would have been a better choice, but I don't own any of those.  I did however have to roll up my pants.

. . . I am grateful for a kiddie gate that keeps the girls at bay when I need to have dangerous stuff out in my office. . . though they aren't the biggest fans.

. . . I smell a little strongly of product, but at least my roots aren't dark anymore.  I love getting new hair.

. . . We realized that Linux is more foreign to us than expected, but Dave is still excited at the prospect of learning something new.  I however, am less optimistic.

. . . I am feeling mostly healthy again.  Stupid winter.  I believe the pictures from the cute girls next door did the trick to help me feel better.  ;)

. . . I am excited that Miley likes to color!

. . . I am turning a blind eye to my work table and all the crap on it to be done, to type this post.

. . . I am mad at iDVD for the little glitch it is having that is causing trouble with my Sing Along project.  So mad that I don't even want to look it up to find a solution at the moment.

. . . I have no idea what date it is, but it feels like the month has gone by too quickly.

. . . I am craving Chinese food and french fries, maybe not in the same meal though.

. . . I am a little sad to not see a picture logged in my iPhoto for every day this month.  I may miss my 365 project after all.

. . . I have other stuff to do, so I'm off to do it now. . .

I got nothin

I realize it is time for a new post, but I'm not sure I have any wit or wisdom to share today. . . so here is a little randomness instead. . .

Miley made up with balloons, well at least helium filled ones. They are now a fun toy. What inspired this turn around? Your guess is as good as mine.
Cupcake recipe number two was a success. The plan going in (to fulfill resolution no. 2) was to share this batch with others. Ummm yeah, they didn't last that long. Delightful, delovely, and delicious. Pure heaven in a paper wrapper. Orange Creamsicle. It's also my favorite Italian Soda flavor, coincidence? I don't think so. I'll be making these again, and maybe this time we'll share. . . . ?
The rain is the pits. Another resolution for us was to get outside to the park on every day Dave has off. One full week of rain later and we've got some lazy cabin-feverish type people here. Oh and it looks like in the picture that we only accommodate one of our pets. Nilla's the favorite. Actually, Bear agrees, she doesn't want to lay on another bed, she wants to be by her sis.
Currently making more invitations for Primary. I swear I am constantly making these. Brit, can we stop planning stuff for awhile? ;)Sunday piggy buns, and the girl wouldn't let me take a good picture of them.
I intensely dislike Dell. The company. I don't know about their products yet. My hopes aren't high. I am a Mac person for a reason. Everyone else is crap. We wanted to get a little net book so that I could get Dave out of my office for good. Sorry hon. Mac doesn't make little net books, so we went with a Linux Dell (just say no to windows). Haven't received it yet, but dealing with that company was beyond annoying. Forget a little net book, I'm going to get a Mac Book. . . but then again, it's for Dave's use so what do I care.

The rain has driven us to play indoor games. Here Dave is concentrating intensely on beating Miley at Elefun. . . yes, we are that competitive. ;)
Miley found another use for her butterfly net.
Meanwhile, I am consumed by Dr. Mario. I play it whenever I get a free second on my DS. i heart it. I've reached a point where no one but the computer will play me, and that's because it has no choice. If it did, I think it would decline as well. If there was pro status or an olympic competition for it I'd be in the running. I really should stop. I even find myself playing it in my dreams. See what the rain is doing to me. We desperately need sunshine here!

My ongoing project of digitizing all my family's old VHS home movies is slowly reaching completion. Yesterday I wrapped up 1995 and 1996. I got to revisit some pics of my Junior Prom! Yipppee. Those will not be featured here. I had braces. And the hair. . . it's just too much for you to take.
Gearing up for Valentines Day here. Well, kind of. I was in the craft store the other day and realized that stores actually sell decorations for holidays other than Halloween and Christmas. Weird. I do not own any of those. . . and well, didn't pick any up either. I did buy a cute outfit for Miley to get pics in, and some little somethings for my siblings. That's pretty much the only Valentine tradition we have. . . send a little dumb something to the siblings to remind them I love them, I mean we, well it's my tradition. . . Dave you'll have to get your own. ;)

This winter has been a bummer for us. A whole lot of crappy sickness. Colds galore. Throw in (or up) a little stomach flu and it's just been peaches. I've been sneezing like crazy this week. Shared it (the cold, not the sneezes, I didn't do that on anyone, gross) with at least three people, that should mean I'll be healthy soon. Giving it away is the only route to recovery. Isn't that how it works?
I was organizing my blog a few weeks ago, labeling things and what not, so I could find what I was looking for. . . . when I came across a post talking about our plans for our backyard. My thoughts on the subject in 2008 were that we'd probably have it done by 2010 or 2011. I am so on track with that. Called the landscaper today, maybe it will mean something this year. . . but then again, I still have until 2011 before I can be considered a liar.

There you go Tiff, now you won't have to check the blog again for another few days, well maybe more. . .

what number is your pain?

. . . around an eight. . . or so you'd think from the crying girl getting her hair done. Oh, the drama.

I couldn't take it anymore, I had to do something with that hair. It's long enough and it's been taunting me for months. I had her cornered in her high chair eating snacks, which I'm hoping will work again next time I try it. I don't know if I traumatized her eating experience forever or not.

Two pink rubber bands, water (in addition to the tears), hairspray (which totally bugged Dave), one little clip, and a few failed attempts later . . .

Introducing the piggy buns. . .OK, so they aren't technically even, but I was working under duress. Amazingly she didn't even take them out. Of course when I had to take them out later that night we once again revisited the tears. I'm thinking her pain tolerance is near zero. . .

I'm going to try it again for church, wish me luck.

. . . She's playing with fake garlic in these pics, weird. . . yep.

kiss it better

One more story. . . Miley is constantly hurting something these days. This is new for her. She's been pretty lucky up to this point, but now it seems that every time I turn around she has pinched or bumped or tripped on something.
I have had to pull out the mommy adage,
'do you want me to kiss it better?'
Mie doesn't understand this concept and thinks it strange. Instead she'll stop crying and give me the big mmmmmm pucker for a kiss on the mouth. Ok, that works.

She has lots of kisses to give these days. She starts her mmmmmmm long before she's near you, (you can hear her coming around the corner for a kiss) and ends her kiss with a big mwwwaaah! They are the best kisses ever!

What, she's not a year and a half?

Miley successfully survived her first day of nursery. No tears, no second glance behind her. I've got the lackluster colored picture to prove her success. Church was actually peaceful for once. . . now that I don't have to chase her around. Ahhhhhhh. I need to add a few more hhhh's because it was really that good. Nursery is truly heaven sent. Another reason why I know the church is true. ;)

Meanwhile in toddler land there are things to update the g-parents on. . .Miley is such a girly girl (except for letting her hair stay the way I put it, grrr). She loves to pick out shoes after I get her dressed. Shoes complete an outfit you know. She giggles when I put them on her too.
Here she is checking out her shoes. . .She likes to wear her baby rings on her wrists like bracelets. She'll shake them around and admire herself wearing them. Sometimes she can't use her hands because she doesn't want to disturb her bracelets.
When she sees her reflection in things she gives herself a big kiss. Ummm, maybe I shouldn't foster this one, but it's pretty cute. If we tell her she is beautiful wearing whatever it is she has. . . i.e. anything on her head, she'll keep wearing it, or keep putting it on herself to show us. If she sees me use chapstick she needs to use some as well.The girlishness does not apply to mealtimes. She is not afraid to smear food anywhere. Cleanliness is not necessarily girly. Dave would agree, right hon? ;)She has always had a thing for being up high, this remains the case. She has decided to move ottomans around to get up to things. She can reach on top of our counters now, no small feat. Nothing is safe. Cue Jaws music. Today I went to the living room to get my phone. . . this is where I usually keep it. . .Instead I found this. . .Fair trade? I guess, but not one Mommy condoned. Sneaky little stinker.

Miley loves music, loves dancing to music, loves singing music. . . though that really isn't as cute as the dancing. Her favorite song request right now is itsy bitsy spider.

She still loves books too. No matter how many we buy her, she keeps bringing me the same old ones that I don't have to look at to read. . . and she has them memorized too. . . she acts out all the parts in "i love you through and through."She loves animals, especially animals that growl or roar. Those are her favorites. She also likes the elephants because they make a cool sound that involves your arm moving too. She has a book about an elephant who sneezes, and for awhile if you asked her what an elephant said she would reply. . . . aaaa aaaahh aahchooo. Now it's just an elephant sound. A little more boring, but also more accurate, whatever.Miley loves to play with balls. They are one of her favorite toys. Recently the thing she can't let go of is a paintbrush. She paints everything with it. She hides her toys under her shirt. She loves putting her little robe on after her bath. She will not leave the bathroom without it.

Miley enjoys pointing out body parts too. She can say hair, ear, eye, nose. . . or approximations of those and then everything else is a point and random sound. Teeth are a fave thing to point out lately. . . speaking of the tooph, it's looking good, well not back to normal, but not as bad. Maybe I'm just desensitized to it now. I don't know. I don't notice it so much anymore and she doesn't either. . . though she is protecting herself from further incidents. . .Finally, Mie thinks we are her jungle gyms. She used to try and do push-ups with Dave, now she tries to climb on him when he does them. So helpful.

classically depressing

Every year I get the nagging feeling that I should be reading something more 'classic' than say. . . the zombie classic I enjoy.

My nightstand should have Tolstoy or Ayn Rand for more than just intellectual props. Instead I have stacks of current and somewhat childish fiction strewn about in my recent past. I would be ashamed if I didn't enjoy them so much. ;)

So every year I make a resolution to try and read something deeper than vampire fodder or fantastical nonsense. . . umm yeah.

I was perusing the classics list today and I realized a few things:

1. I could mark a fair few off, hooray
2. Maybe I don't need this resolution after all ;)
3. Did you know Harry Potter is now a classic? Hmm
4. Mark another seven off!
5. The quality that most classics have in common is that they are depressing.

Why is that? No really, I want to know.

Why do people feel that a book is deep and meaningful if it is disheartening or just dark and sad? I find this very strange. I tried to pick through the list and choose only the ones that aren't utterly depressing. Slim pickings. I managed a few, with of course a handful of childish reads as well to balance out the drama. I should be well-rounded right? Well I'll try.

I get that overcoming great odds is a nice theme, but in most they are not overcoming them in a happily ever after kind of way. Do we not believe in that anymore? Maybe I've been watching too many Disney movies. I guess being happy isn't that interesting. No dark and disturbing mystery there.

To be enlightened is to be depressed. Insightful, thank you literary critics for giving us this guidepost to broaden our minds and our medications. My husband thanks you as well. ;)

Mindy's favorite books »