It's been a while.....

Hello blog. I've missed you. It's been a busy week (OK, it's been nearly a YEAR).

Let me start by saying that I am so excited to be working from home as a consultant for Thirty-One Gifts. It's a great way to earn money while making my own hours and allows me the freedom to stay at home with my daughter. My website is http://www.mythirtyone.com/favoritethings because, well, these ARE a few of my favorite things!

Our specials for November are AWESOME! If you make a purchase of $31 or more, you get a FREE Zipper Pouch (a $12 value). If you host a qualifying party, you can purchase a Skirt Purse and matching accessory kit for just $10. That's a savings of over $79! In addition, hostesses earn free and discounted items (click HERE for details). This is an easy way to get all your holiday shopping done at one time and maybe get a little treat for yourself.

Let me know when you would like to schedule your party soon. There are still a few dates available in November and December. Orders must be completed by 12/13/10 for guaranteed Christmas delivery.

Bedtime Gem

"...please help Violet not to blow up like a blueberry. Please Jesus."

Can you tell we've watched Willy Wonka 7 times in the last five days??

Christmas -- Day 2

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me --
2 soy lattes, and a cat climbing in the Christmas tree.

Coupon links & online codes

In case you are interested in freebies, take a look at http://www.dealblabs.com/. Great online coupons and coupon codes FYI.

My own version of a Christmas classic.....

On the 1st day of Christmas, my true love gave to me....a new kitten that climbs the Christmas tree.....

Is it FROZEN FOOD MONTH yet?

I just prepared my daughter's breakfast. Chocolate milk and a frozen waffle. Let me rephrase that: chocolate milk and a waffle right out of the freezer STILL frozen. I am taking a moment to think of her other favorites and am realizing that this child has a real affinity for cold foods. She doesn't just like for her cooked food to cool off. What the child loves is frozen foods right out of the freezer! We discovered this quirk when she was about three and just mastered opening the freezer door to get her own popsicles (a monkey on her back, let me tell ya). She asked sweetly if she could have one, and when I said yes, headed for her beloved Frigidaire. A few moments later I found her sitting on the kitchen floor licking a frozen ravioli. I watched, and as the ravioli thawed a little, she bit right into it and savored every morsel. Amazing. And gross.

In fact, we had a frozen ravioli dinner last night which was preceded by a cold pizza lunch. I know it looks like I'm in dire need of nutritional and/or parenting classes, but I did serve a fruit and vegetable with these entrees. Tonight's special is organic spinach ravioli a la ice crystals with a side of garden fresh cucumber slices. Our dessert du jour is french vanilla yogurt with fresh raspberries and frozen (of course) chocolate chips. Seriously. I wouldn't go back to this restaurant.

Last night, I made the terrible mistake of COOKING THE LAST FEW RAVIOLI which brought about the horrific "WHY?". "WHY?" for those for those who don't live with four year olds is not, in fact, a quick three-letter word denoting a question. "WHY?" is actually a nineteen syallable, ear-splitting sound which begins in the child's nose and ends in the mother's spine. If you think nails on a chalkboard are bad, then you've never been "WAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIed." At least I was able to serve an icy breakfast. I just can't take the "WHY?" before noon.

Baby Talk

Yet another moment of sweetness from my darling daughter...

As she was jamming on my 80s playlist, I overheard the following:

- "Love sticks. Yeah. Yeah." (aka "Love Stinks" by the J. Geils Band)

- "the deep police are a coming for me." (aka "Dream Police" by Cheap Trick)

Ode To My Fellow Multitaskers...(or Are We Really Uber-Efficient or Plagued with ADD?)

I shall start by acknowledging that "Pride is Folly." Yep, I know it to be true today. I generally pride myself on my ability to do multiple tasks simultaneously. I consider myself to be quite efficient this way, and, frankly, I secretly suspect that single-taskers aren't quite as smart as I am. There, I said it. Don't be angry my beloved family of single-taskers. I reluctantly admire your dogged focus to "see it through" whatever "it" might be.

Today, my to-do list resembles the Dead Sea Scrolls which, unfurled, drag the floor. As I scurry from task to task, I come to the hall bathroom which I have just cleaned and mopped. Only a few minor tweaks to check this baby off the list: wipe counters, clean mirrors...hmmm...those soap dispensers look gross. I think I will toss them in a sink full of water and get them squeaky clean.
* Plug sink. Check.
* Add soap dispensers. Check.
* Fill with water. Check.
Dash to master bath to begin cleaning it. Scrub shower. Check. Wonder what that running water sound is. Check?

Oh. My. God. Water. Running. Bathroom. Sink.

I pause for a whole two seconds to utter a prayer as I head down the hallway toward a sink that only plugs properly about half the time, "Please Lord. Let the stopper not be working...." Enter hall bathroom and realize there is no point in finishing THIS prayer. Water, water everywhere.

I can't help but laugh and try to look for the bright side. Thank God I had already mopped so that, while wet, at least the floor isn't wet AND dirty. Thank God we live in a ranch home so I don't have to worry about falling through to the kitchen downstairs.

I start another load of laundry (towels this time!) and ponder my utter INefficiency today. Too funny really and I'm still laughing as I walk past another pile of towels intended for the laundry and head off to finish cleaning the master bathroom...

Is that the sound of water still running in the shower?

A Clothing Coup

You probably already know that my sweet girl is VERY opinionated when it comes to her clothing. She refuses to wear pants without pockets, long sleeves, turtlenecks, and anything with a "ruffle" (the little "gathers" on sleeves). Shopping with her is about as fun as a root canal, and she's only four!

Nonetheless, I had a wonderful experience buying school clothes this year. I took the latest Lands End catalog and removed every page except those which had clothing I liked. I explained that the clothes in this catalog were the ones she needed for her new big girl school. Then I gave Sophie the catalog and a pen telling her to circle the things she wanted. Easy peasy.

I figure I can keep this up until she can actually read!

Good for a Laugh!

I just LOVE this definition of "deface" from urbandictionary.com: To remove a 'friendship' from facebook due to having either accidentily [sic] adding him/her as a friend or actually adding them and reconsidering later.

"Yeah, there was this guy in my network who added me. I thought he looked ok, but his updates were really cramping my news feed, so I had to deface him."

"I went on a date with a girl I met a week before and like the day after our date she changed her status to 'in a relationship.' I defaced her."