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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

WW-Fashionista

She picked the entire outfit herself.

For real. Head to toe.

We have NO idea who taught her the model posing moves. They're ongoing, and slightly annoying when it comes to trying to get good pics these days.

But if she's not the most precious thing I've ever seen, I don't know what is.









In the ever-famous words of the Church Lady, we like ourselves, don't we?

A post WELL worth reading!

And I did not write it!

In fact, I could not have said it better myself, or provided more accurate and insightful information. However, my friends Joey and Aleetheea, who make awesome kids' clothes, did an incredible job.

I will tell you this: The CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) comes into effect on February 10th, just a couple of weeks from now.

While I am the mother of an almost 4 year old and most definitely concerned about lead poisoning, I am also highly concerned about how far things are being taken.

What started out as something wonderful to keep our kids safe is crossing lines and threatening our already extremely fragile economy.

I urge you to please read this and see just how YOU could be affected, as well as what you can do to help put a stop to this insanity.

Leave me a comment and let me know if you read it - the support of my readers means everything to me!

Also, don't forget to leave a little love for Joey and Aleethea, and check out their Etsy store!! Laws like this could stop you from buying the hip, one-of-a-kind stuff they make and sell!

Monday, January 26, 2009

"Making Me Happy" Monday

Welcome to the third installment of "Making Me Happy" Monday! I can't believe this is the third week in a row I'm doing it - I think it's here to stay!

Today's happy list includes:

1. I got to see When Elmo Grows Up (Elmo Live) last night with a good friend and her daughter - not only did we go for free, we had great seats and there is nothing more fun that watching a show like that through your child's eyes. MH boogied for the entire show!

2. Baileys Irish Cream - better for my back pain than muscle relaxants!

3. It doesn't look like I've done any major damage to my back after last week's fall on the ice - I'm very sore, but functioning fairly normally.

4. It is 3:17PM, and I'm still in my jammies, not feeling one bit guilty. The Mad Hatter and I have had a wonderful low-key day relaxing, dining, and getting crafty. And rockin' out to the CD we got at the Elmo show last night.

5. Speaking of getting crafty, this Mommy really cut loose and we did finger painting - SO. MUCH. FUN. Even though it was a major mess. Then we cleaned up and moved on to something else. Remember Fashion Plates from the 80's? Uncle D got MH something similar and I think I might be enjoying it more than she is! Oh, the combinations! Oh, the coloring! There is something so therapeutic about coloring!

6. My kitchen is clean, the dishwasher is running, and I know exactly what I'm making for dinner.

7. My special new Twitter friends Cynthiaa (Yummy Mummy) and Melissa (Spoiled Mommy) - I have been loving our chats! And I love all the great new tweeps I've been continuing to meet (except for the scary stalker ones who just start following you for no apparent reason - for those tweeps, the block option has become my good friend).

8. Tweetdeck! This might have been on last week's happy list, but I am seriously in love! I have found specific things I'm looking for, it's easy, neat, and organized, which is one of my major goals for 2009 - organization!

9. DH and I are so committed to our goal of 2009 being the year of US and our "Best Life" (thanks, Oprah!)! We are eating healthy, trying to get in exercise (well, me as much as possible at PT), planning out meals for the week, and really being such an amazing support system for each other. I feel so connected to him right now, and really proud of him too - all of this change started with HIM (and let me tell you, he is making major changes)!

10. I have been replacing almost all beverage consumption with water, and it feels fabulous (of course I still need my cup or two of java in the AM)! I'm down to one caffeine free Diet Coke a day (with dinner), but lately I've even been known to turn that down in exchange for a nice tall glass of water with lemon. Big change!!!

11. My grandmother just had her second cataract surgery done this morning, and according to my mom (who is down there in Florida taking care of her), all went very well and she's doing great! Even nicer is that my dad is taking a much-deserved few days off himself and heading down there tomorrow to spend some time with them. And we get the dog, who the MH refers to as "the best" and "my best friend". Having the dog here will make MH very happy, which in turn will of course make me very happy!

12. A very dear family friend and his wife are going to become first-time parents tomorrow! She is actually due on February 8th, which is the MH's birthday, but is being induced tomorrow. I cannot wait for the phone call letting me know that mom and baby are healthy and doing well, and I can't wait to find out the baby's sex!

13. Speaking of babies, a dear friend of mine had her second child just a few days ago, a little girl I cannot WAIT to go meet! Both Mom and Baby M are doing wonderfully, and new babies of course, always make me happy!

As always, there are many more things to be happy about!

Join in the "Making Me Happy" Monday fun and leave a comment for me so I can be sure to stop by your blog!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Rachael Needs . . .

I've seen a few of my bloggy friends do this fun post where they go to Google, type in their name, and add the word "needs" after it. You take the top 10 results and write/comment about them in a blog post.

I've always found them hilarious and have been meaning to get around to my own, so here you go!

1. Rachael needs bargain munching options washed down with a G & T.

Munching options? I'll take 'em any time - bonus points for a good deal! But I'm not so much for Gin and Tonics, I'll take a Bud Light with Lime Please.

2. MySpace profile for Rachael needs a miracle with pictures, videos, personal blog , interests, information about me and more.

Ummmm, MySpace? NEVER! That, friends, is why I am a Facebook girl.

3. Rachael needs to come to the end of herself and surrender control to HIM.

Hmm, where to start on this one? I am nowhere near ready to come to the end of "myself", nor am I ready to surrender to ANYONE!

4. Rachael needs to get a life and there is nothing funny about her, she is just simply annoying and too loud.

Wow, Google. I thought were were BFFs. I've never claimed to be a comedian, but I'm sure people do find some stuff funny about me! And as for simply annoying, that's just mean! I do get a little loud sometimes, so I won't take too much offense to that . . .

5. Rachael needs FOREVER LOVING HOME.

Can't argue one bit with that one. Perhaps one day that home will be a wee bit bigger, but I'm happy with love any day.

6. Rachael needs to learn to accept things even if she doesn’t like them.

I think I do a decent job of this one, but it's sage advice and always good to be reminded. Unless it's something that's just dead wrong, and then we need to talk.

7. Rachael needs something to do.

With a little girl about to turn 4, and a hubby currently working six days a week, this is not normally a problem I find myself running into. Rachael needs to find the TIME for all the things she needs to do is more like it.

8. Rachael needs prayers.

Who can't use a few here and there?

9. Rachael needs a second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth opinion.

Too many hands in the soup spoils the pot. I'm all for opinions (when requested), but if 2 was good enough when it came to my back, I'll stop there for most other things too.

10. Rachael needs numbers.

Preferrably the winning ones to the Power Ball.

Join in the fun when you have a chance - good times, I tell ya!



Thursday, January 22, 2009

The "B's" of Me

My good friend Julie at Trials and Tribulations recently did a very cool meme (that happened to be passed on to her by my good friend Elaine at the Miss Elaine-ous Life). I love a good meme now and then and it’s been a while, so I said I’d love to play along.

Julie bestowed upon me the letter B, and my job is to tell you 10 of my favorite things that begin with this letter. Without further ado, here they are, in no particular order:

1. Blogging and the blogosphere! Since deciding to start my blog and then finding that there were actually people out there who liked it enough to read it and keep coming back, I have found some wonderful people I truly consider friends. Some of you I even “talk to” on a daily basis! I know non-bloggers don’t quite get it, but there is something so wonderful about this bond of people I have connected with. Although sometimes life slows me down a bit, reading, writing, and commenting, as well as keeping up with the lives of all my blogging buddies has become a very important part of my day! Of course, I also love the endless opportunities to shamelessly brag about my little munchkin affectionately known around here as the Mad Hatter, and I do find writing rather therapeutic.

2. Boggle. In this day and age of Facebook, I’ll call it Scramble, but really it’s the same. Yes, I am a total word nerd. I have a good eye, love to play against others, love to play ladder mode – you name it. Yes, I’m a bit obsessed with Boggle/Scramble, but I feel like it wakes my brain up and keeps me on my toes. If you’re on FB and want to play, let me know!

3. Boston. One of my favorite cities, probably due to the fact that within an hour, I can be transported from suburbia to a life filled with fabulous food, culture, shopping, hotels, theater, and did I mention food and shopping? DH and I LOVE to go away on overnights to Boston. We did it far more frequently before the arrival of the MH (I wouldn’t trade that for a thing!), so it’s even more of a treat when my fabulous parents take the MH overnight and we sneak away for a little R&R (which I like to think of as rest and re-connection). We love to leave early Saturday morning, do some shopping, check in at the Westin in Copley Plaza, eat in the North End, go to Mike’s (I would drive to Boston JUST to go to Mike’s any day!), shop around, sleep in, brunch. You name it. I am counting the days until the overnight we have planned at the end of February. For Hanukkah, my amazing and extremely generous brother gifted us with tickets to Dirty Dancing (the play! Which I had no idea existed!). We instantly decided to make a weekend of it, and we are so excited! Let me tell you – nobody will be putting this Mommy in the corner! You’re more likely to catch me dancing in the aisles for most of the show with DH slouching in his chair praying no one realizes I belong to him.

4. Barbie. Specifically Barbie Diamond Castle, the movie. The MH LOVES anything Barbie. Which means that she will momentarily detach herself from me and play with her various dolls and accessories. I love watching her use her little imagination to make them talk to each other and play, and must admit that I also love “playing Barbies” with her, just like when I was a little girl. As for Barbie Diamond Castle – the movie seriously has magical powers. The MH sits still for NOTHING. We have yet to sit through an entire movie –ever. However, the movie consists of music (one of the things that rules her world), princesses, and puppies. It holds her attention for a full hour and 20 minutes, which ROCKS. MY. WORLD. And, the theme song (sung by none other than Katherine McPhee) is rather catchy and I love to belt it out at the top of my lungs in the midst of a mommy/daughter sing-along. Or alone in the shower.

5. Bars. Any kind. Chocolate, Fiber One, energy. Most importantly the kind that serve alcohol.

6. Best Life Week on Oprah. It was two weeks ago, and it has been life changing. DH read about it and we decided to DVR it and watch together every night. We’ve decided that 2009 is our year to focus on us, our health, and positive change. For those of you who did not see this awesome week of tv, each episode focused on a specific aspect of life. There was health and diet, spirituality (I skipped that one), finance, and my personal favorite – sex. In the past when I’ve been ready to make positive changes in my life, specifically regarding my health, DH has not. Now, we are a team. We have a plan. We are eating so many more meals at home. Healthy, delicious meals. Working on getting active. 2009 is going to be our year – for better health, bettering our financial situation, and really getting back to what connects us as a unit.

7. Books. I love to read. Whether it’s reading children’s books to the Mad Hatter, reading trashy gossip mags, reading chick-lit, or reading what I consider to be “worthy” literature (read: novels and memoirs where you actually need to look up words that are new to you; books that really make you stop and think, and provoke the use of a little brain power). And while I’m on this one, I must add Facebook. Although it is by no means a book, it does contain the word, and I am self-admittedly a total Facebook addict. It’s like a vortex – it sucks you in and I find it nearly impossible to get myself back out.

8. Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. OK, any ice cream (but I needed a “B”). I love the Coney Island one with chocolate covered peanuts and pieces of waffle cone. Also a fan of Chubby Hubby (sweetie, I mean the ice cream!). My plans for 2009 do not mean that I plan on giving up any ice cream. I will be relying on my dear friend Edy, and all of her slow-churned specialties to help me get my fix. And I can’t wait to see what the special edition American Idol flavors will be this year! Right now, we’re loving Take the Cake in this house!

9. Black. Love the color. Black shoes. Black patent leather. Black clothes (I must own at least 1o or more pairs of black pants). Perfect little black dresses. My kitchen is black and white. My kitchen and hallway floor is black and white tile. The kitchen was not my doing, it was like this when we bought our house, but it was definitely a draw factor. I would never go so far as to paint any walls black, but I do love black.

10. Bath and Body Works. It’s a sad sign when you haven’t been your “regular” store for over 6 months since you’ve been recovering from major back surgery and the manager hears your voice from the back room she’s in and comes out screaming your name in excitement. Yes, Linda the manager and I are BBWBFFs. I am in love with the foaming antibacterial soaps. Nothing makes me happier than buying 60 bottles when they have the once in a blue moon 5 for $10 sale. I do not exaggerate. I love their body washes, creams, Wallflowers, linen sprays, candles, everything. The only thing I don’t love is their forever imminent discontinuation of a product that becomes my fave. However, after a brief mourning period I’m usually fine. This slight inconvenience is a more than acceptable tradeoff for the fact that twice a year they have a ginormous sale with up to 75% of tons of items, with the main reason for the most of sale being re-branding. So it's the same exact product with the older label. Do you see a problem with that? I most certainly do not (DH may or may not have a small issue with the fact that I need to buy 10 bottles of lotion because they were on sale for 97 cents).

Phew! This was a much longer and more challenging meme than I am used to, but I must say I enjoyed it! And if you’re still with me, I hope you enjoyed learning some new things about me. And I applaud you with another B – you’re a true BBF (bloggy best friend)!

If you are up for the fun, challenge, and opportunity to share some new stuff about you, let me know and I’ll send you a letter to use. I promise, it won’t be X or Z!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Almost WW - Summer to Winter

When the MH begged to wear a certain dress to school yesterday, I had to offer a little help in revising its original look to accomodate the weather (read: I didn't want preschool to call DCYF on me). As I did so, I thought about the last time she wore this dress, and was entirely overcome with a huge rush of emotion!


This picture was taken on her first day of preschool, at the end of August



This one was taken yesterday morning before school.


My little Mad Hatter is going to be FOUR just two weeks from this Sunday, which is hard enough to digest. Then I look at these two pictures, taken just 5 months apart, and am floored by how different she looks to me.
In the first one, she looks so little. So innocent. So full of excitement about the new journey she is about to embark on.
In the second picture (which is one of about 10 because she's quite the little fashion model poser), I see such a different person. She LOVES to go to school. She has many friends (including most of the parents). After just 3 days at school, her teachers dubbed her the official "Welcome Wagon".
I am more than anything blown away by what a different child she has become in the last five months. She is really is no longer a baby.
She will always be my baby, but she really is a little girl now.
A bright, vibrant, beautiful, intelligent, caring, and quite intuative little girl.

All of which adds up to one very proud (and pretty sappy) Mommy.


Editor's note: when I first posted about MH's first day of school, I got MANY comments asking where I got the dress. It was from Baby Gap, early summer. I saw it and knew we had to have it. And I'm so happy I was able to "winter" it up!


Edited again to add: this post probably should have been entitled "Not Quite WW!"

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

A very YUMMY giveaway!

My newest bloggy friend Cynthiaa over at Confessions of a Yummy Mummy (the Mod Mama to Be) is not only having a baby in less than 5 weeks, but she is also hosting her first giveaway.

I've seen lots of giveaways around the blogosphere, and let me tell you - THIS. ONE. ROCKS.

So many wonderful goodies!

Click here to take a look for yourself!

Of course I'd love to win, but if I don't, I'd be thrilled if one of my readers does!

Good luck, and thanks again to Cynthiaa!

Overheard . . .

MH: Daddy, can I watch Jack-Show (Jack's Big Music Show)?
DH: (while we watch inauguration snippets on the news) Sweetie, we're watching the making of history right now . . .
MH: I don't like history! I want Jack-Show!

Earlier today, we were discussing how exciting today was, as our new President was being sworn in. We talked about what special day it was and how lucky we are to be Americans, and she even asked me a few questions.

One of the things I told her is that our new President, Barack Obama is now living in the White House in Washington DC.

She paused for a moment before asking "Which white house is it?"

A conversation of what the White House is ensued. She asked if it's the house Audrey used to live in (I have no idea who Audrey is, other than the little girl who lives across the street from us - her house is not white).

She then said "Is that president 'Bama a girl?"

She then proceeded to ask why the house was white and not another color.

Discussing politics with an almost 4-year old is quite entertaining, no?

Monday, January 19, 2009

Ask and you shall receive

I just remembered that after last week's "Making Me Happy" Monday post, I got some questions regarding my laptop cooling pad and iPod Touch. Without further ado, I present:

XBrand Lap Lounge



Since having 2 back surgeries, I've spent a considerable amount of time in bed - on the laptop. The bottom always gets hot and DH started getting me all worried that this would cause the motherboard to burn out. What a motherboard is, I can't say. The idea of being without my laptop? Gives me hives.

You sit your laptop in this fab-o little gadget. Totally comfy on your lap. And, it's got a little USB thingy (how's that for technical terminology) that you plug into a USB port on your laptop. A nice little fan blows, keeping the bottom of the computer (and your lap) nice and cool. And no more worries about blowing the motherlode motherboard.

All for the bargain basement price of $39.99 at BJ's. DH says this is much cheaper than a motherboard.

AND, the iPod Touch. Apple calls it "the funnest iPod ever." I cannot disagree. It's absolutely ingenious - like having a mini-computer with you at all times (you just need to have wi-fi available to connect to the internet/get email/etc.)

I refuse to switch out of my happy little Verizon phone network, so I'm not interested in the iPhone. This, my friends, is the next best thing.


I have the 2nd generation version. It plays music even without headphones! But forget the music - the applications, oh. the. applications.

I can check email. Write email. Facebook. Twitter. Play ridiculously addictive games. Some genius has even come up with games to entertain the wee-set (read: earn yourself a little extra time while waiting for dinner to arrive by letting your child "scribble" in color and shake the designs away like an Etch-A-Sketch or use their little fingers to create and pop bubbles!). Download webcasts, podcasts, and videos. Put my pictures on it.

I kid you not - you can think of it, you can probably do it on the iPod Touch.

The price on this one? I have the 8GB, which runs around $229 on the Apple site. Although, I'm pretty sure you can get it for a little less plus free shipping if you do a little digging online.

I will say this - my mom took one look at it and instantly requested it as a birthday gift (lucky for her, she's a New Year's baby, so she didn't have to wait long). We're total dorks with our gadgets, figuring out on a daily basis all the amazing things it can do, and discussing the latest and necessary free applications we've discovered. But it is SO. MUCH. FUN. As Apple says, "the funnest".

Seriously, I'm not usually someone who is blown away by gadgets, but the whole fam is getting into the action with this one!

Have more questions? Ask away!

"Making Me Happy" Monday

I did this last week, and think I'm going to try to make it a weekly ritual. Feel free to join me and let me know if you have so I can be sure to pop by your blog!

Things making me happy today:

*Whatever alien replaced the MH yesterday seemed to disappear overnight. We had a fabulous day together - one of those days that reminds me I was made to be a mommy.

*Disappearance of said "alien" meant the sweetest little girl ever today, and not ONE temper tantrum (and one VERY happy mommy).

*The MH telling me at rest time that her heart had a smile on it because she was so happy (and then proceeding to take a 2 hour nap - unheard of these days!).

*After bad weather rained snowed on our parade, DH and I enjoyed a fantastic and much needed evening out on Saturday night to celebrate his birthday. Made even more perfect by the fact that we ate at our of our favorite restaurants, with a hefty gift certificate handed to DH by his boss, joined by our closest friends, and entertained by the interesting (read: whacko) couple next to us who insisted on buying us a round of drinks after we'd paid our bill and were ready to leave. They wouldn't take no for an answer, so all of us, including our server, downed shots of Patron Silver. GREAT. TIMES. And lots of laughter.

*My first Saturday of the season as a tax widow wasn't as awful as I thought it would be. MH and I found our way to story hour at a very cool toy store we hadn't yet been to, made an awesome craft, and had a very klassy lunch at Chez McDonald's. (note to self: no more Saturday visits to McDonald's PlayPlace. Ever.)

*DH let me sleep in until after 12 yesterday afternoon, and was completely reasonable when I was completely (and admittedly) unreasonable and bitchy for no reason I could explain other than I didn't feel like being anyone's mommy or wife, just for a little while. Honey, you are a WONDERFUL man.

*I finally found a case for my iPod Touch so I am no longer afraid to take it out of my house. I must agree with Apple, who calls it "the funnest iPod ever." Gotta love free Wi-Fi at Panera and the library. Although (shock and awe), Chez McD's does NOT have free Wi-Fi. One more reason to boycott.

*MH and I had so much fun at home today doing lots of nothing. Crafts, new toys, and our fave - an impromptu dance party around our kitchen.

*Rachael Ray's Mini-Meatball Soup for dinner last night. It rocks. It rocks even more for lunch the next day. Today's lunch ROCKED.

*DH's new stove-top espresso maker (birthday gift from above-mentioned friends). There's a new barista in town . . . can you guess her name? Can anyone say Fat Free Decaf Caramel Latte last night AND tonight? I think I might just be as good as Starbucks. And definitely cheaper. There's also the added draw that I don't need to leave my kitchen.

*Obama's inauguration tomorrow - we are part of history in the making!

*The MH's birthday invitations are addressed, stamped, and ready to go. Now we just need to pray that the party doesn't get snowed out!

*I have decided that I want to go back to school! Undergrad transcripts have been requested. Advice is being gathered. Calls are being made. I am really hoping that in a few years I will be a certified elementary school teacher!

*I have a list of many goals for 2009, and so far, I'm doing a pretty good job of keeping up with them. I've decided that yes, calling them goals is working far better for me than calling them resolutions.

There are many more things I'm sure I could go on about, but these are what come to mind for now . . . come on and tell me what's on your happy list today!



Edited to add: LOVING Twitter these days! Especially loving the discovery of TweetDeck and its wonder-powers!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

The no-snow snow-day

I may be a New Englander but it does not mean that I like winter. In fact, I'd much prefer to be a snowbird.


We've already gotten enough snow if you ask me. We've already gotten enough threats of snow that haven't amounted to much more than supermarket and gas station chaos.

And yesterday/today was the absolute best - every public school in the state was cancelled last night before even a single snowflake had a chance to fall.

I might have seen a flurry or two this afternoon. As for the school cancellation? Still wondering what state officials were thinking with that one.


And the effect on this mom of one who has another year and a half before entering public school?

Our preschool follows the same vacation and school cancellation schedule as the public schools in our city.

Our preschool days come twice a week - Tuesday and Thursday, and today happens to be Thursday.

Needless to say, when I learned of the cancellation last night, I had more than a few choice words to utter.

Don't get me wrong. I adore the MH. I could love being a Mom any more.

But routine is routine. And preschool days are preschool days!

Since MH started preschool at the end of August, it has been pretty easy to adjust to jam-packing those two full days with doctor's appointments, physical therapy appointments, meetings for volunteer work, errands, and - I will not lie - some much needed, and well-earned me time.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are great for both of us - the MH is thriving at school, eager to know each morning when she gets up if it's a school day. And I, most definitely, am a better Mom for having a little time off.

However, sometimes life surprises us!

MH slept until 8:30 this morning (unheard of). When she woke up, she crawled into bed with me for one of the best kind of snuggles ever - the kind filled with a game of "I love you more than . . ." (my favorite one was I love you more than the whole bathtub filled with lots of really big duckies).

We lounged around for a bit. We got dressed and went to Sweetheart's house. We went out for lunch with Sweetheart and a friend.

When we got back, MH helped Sweetheart bake brownies. She set up a huge picnic on the kitchen floor, and made a gate out of Duplo blocks to keep the poor dog out.

We laughed, chatted, ate warm brownies, and drank tea (well, Sweetheart and I drank tea). MH insisted that we pack up some brownies to bring home to her daddy.

Sweetheart and I played with our matching new iPod Touches (Sweetheart loved mine so much that she got one for her birthday!). MH even got in on the act when I downloaded some games for her (thank you, thank you, thank you to whoever came up with the Bubble and Scribble applications - I see these being put to phenomenal use in the future).

It was a wonderful way to spend the day - 3 generations of girls just having a great time doing not much of anything.

My most current choice word regarding the cancellation of public schools today? Perfect.

Monday, January 12, 2009

"Making Me Happy" Monday

On today's happy list:

*It's DH's birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the best husband and daddy anyone could ask for! We are celebrating with an overnight to Boston next month, complete with tix to see Dirty Dancing (the play I wasn't even aware had become a play and am out of my mind about seeing!), compliments of my brother - can't wait!

*We have the cutest, most amazing little girl - as soon as she got up, the MH gave her daddy a huge birthday hug and kiss, and ran to get him a few special birthday presents. These included a Mickey and Minnie book (complete with her own special reading), a pink Care Bears elephant to sleep with whenever he wants, and as he was walking out the door to work, she ran after him to say "I just wanted to remind you that Mommy and I would like to take you to lunch for your birthday!". I could eat her up!

*Even though it's hubby's birthday, he brought ME coffee in bed (well, he does that every morning if I'm awake, so it's always on my happy list), and (way before going into her room to get a birthday kiss and hug when we knew she was starting to wake up) made the MH her sippy cup of chocolate milk (without animal crackers) so I wouldn't have to get out of bed to do it. Did I mention he's the best hubby and daddy ever?

*MH and I are taking a ride down to Daddy's work today to take him out for a birthday lunch.

*I finally got a cooling pad for my laptop so I can now rest assured that my motherboard will not burn out as hubby has convinced me it could (also happy the bottom of my computer isn't feeling so hot on my lap anymore!).

*Snowpants! Remember how I couldn't find them anywhere because I was an unprepared Mommy? I found and entire set (one of 4 left and the only size 4T) - complete with parka, snowpants, and mittens for $16 at BJ's yesterday! And it's adorable! And pink! And great quality! And it fits the MH perfectly! And the $16 price tag? Not even a clearance price!

*That huge snowstorm we were supposed to get? Didn't amount to much at all! Had a great time having friends over Saturday night during said "storm" playing Rock Band and American Idol on the Wii for hours. A pee-your-pants great time.

*Loving Twitter. And my new favorite way to use it - TweetDeck. Thanks Spoiled Mommy!

*Fabulous new cozy sweaters bought from Macy's for a steal.

*Exact style of brown wedge boots I've been searching for for the past 3 months - also purchased at a decent price during above shopping trip.

*The iPod Touch DH got me for Hanukkah - it's like having a mini computer with me at all times! I am having a blast downloading apps and walking around the house with my new little gadget.

*A free minute for blog posting! It feels like I've been consumed with so much lately that I have not had time to post at all. The MH walked daddy to the door and has not come back to snuggle with me in bed - I can hear her happily playing away downstairs, which is a rare occurrence (the playing alone part!). I have made it my goal for 2009 I (I figure calling it a goal is better than a resolution because a goal is something you work towards, whereas a resolution implies definite change. Hmm, maybe I should change that to resolution!) to blog at least a few times a week. It's part of my me time. It's part of my sanity. It's part of documenting my family's history.

*My little MH just finished her playing and crawled right into my bed to snuggle up on this cold and gray morning!

I don't think I've had a chance to say it yet, but Happy New Year! I'm looking forward to an amazing 2009!

Monday, January 5, 2009

Please help spread the word - it could affect YOU too!

I was just catching up on a little blog reading, and came across this from my friend Liza of A Diva and Two Princesses.

PLEASE, read this post, share it on your own blogs, and any other way you know how.

I know that many of my readers could be affected by this.

As someone who is in the middle of starting a business that will be completely affected by this, I know how concerned I am!

I also know that as someone who loves to purchase handmade gifts and other items, I will be affected in other ways.

As Liza says "We need to do something!", and I couldn't agree more wholeheartedly.

I know I will start researching today to figure out where I might be able to help . . . and I hope you will too!