Things I shouldn't say: a composition built from guilt

I shouldn't say that we skipped church today for no good reason. I shouldn't say that generally speaking we have had a pretty rocky track record when it comes to going to church lately. I shouldn't say that my for no good reason reason is partially my fear of not being able to contain Dexter in a carseat since he has graduated to the kind that you leave in the car now. I also shouldn't say that the other part of my no good reason reason is that I'm lazy. I shouldn't say that I wasn't willing to go to mass for an hour but spent a good 45 minutes deciding what fabric and trim to make St. Patty's Day chaps out of at Hobby Lobby yesterday (more on that later). I also shouldn't say that the idea of not knowing what the appropriate response is anymore-"and also...with your spirit?"-is kind of annoying. I also shouldn't say that I bet that 90 percent of the folks at mass, myself included, haven't the foggiest what consubstantial means.

There, I said it.

Ideally

Instead of promising to work out, eat better, be nicer, get smarter, I have developed two lists for 2012. One is a glorified honey-do list for me and Joshie. It includes exciting projects like putting in a front door kickplate and switching out the wedding photos in our living room to reflect our current state of affairs (read: Dexter).

The second list is just a Lora-do list. In Josh's words, a "Don't talk about it, be about it" list. Items that I mention in passing, (over and over again) but then never act on. And on this list is to show up here more often. I like showing up here and I know there are a few of you who expect me to show up too-ahem, Annie. So friends, I will try to write more often and share all the amazing things that are happening in our world, like kickplates and photo frames.

Happy New Year!

But it's so pretty

This Skittles infused vodka showed up on Pinterest and I am quite curious. Josh said he tried it at our friend's wedding a few months ago and it was not the bees knees. I tried to say that I'm going to make it and prove him wrong because how can something so pretty not be the bees knees? Taste the rainbow, man. 


 Okay, truthfully, I will probably not be mixing up a batch because the girl that only has a couple beers every once in awhile probably doesn't have a need for infused any-cohol in her fridge. But if you're so inclined to try it and want to save me a sip, here's the how-to.

Perfect and Tragic

I don't tear up too often but I about started to bawl when I saw this post of the below photo from Cup of Jo. So perfect and tragic all at the same time. Maybe it's the holidays or maybe it's becoming a mother and watching Dexter grow and grow each day, probably both, but I've been thinking more about my own mom recently.

Pic from here

Run ins with Herky

Josh and I saw this commercial a few days ago. Worthy cause, but check out where Herky is shopping. Watch it and tell me it doesn't look like they've sent him to shop for toys at some sort of hardware store.

Also, we spotted this Herky Pillow Pet at Kohl's the other day. Tell me that he doesn't look a little like Woodstock from Peanuts.

 

Pic from here

Go here, not there

I went out for a little shopping spree last Saturday after I had breakfast with my former roomies, always friends. First stop was Target to pick up carpet deodorizer, (so glamorous and I can totally feel your envy radiating across the interweb). I also decided to peek around the toy section and see if I could find Dexter a couple of new gadgets and gizmos. I ended up with a couple of these toys that were on sale. However, I failed to realize that Target is kind of a madhouse on a Saturday morning. The checkout lines were packed and I was like WTF? Who gets up this early* and goes to Target? Moms. And grown-ups. And I'm one of them. Note to self, on future Saturday mornings, target Target for an afternoon visit.
After getting through that harrowing experience, my spree took me to the mall, namely Forever 21, everyone's favorite trendy but cheap, no-rhyme-or-reason-to-the-way-we're-organized-and-that-shirt-you're-looking-for-is-inevitably-at-the-bottom-of-the-pile-of-piles-in-the-back-of-the-store store. I typically steer clear of here when I'm with Dexter for the following reasons:


1. Because I tried that already and got way too many gasp, babies havin' babies, just ain't right looks (curse you, Asian genes and your ability to make me appear 18 instead of 28)
2. It is also a madhouse...times one billion

Without Dexter in tow though I bravely went in and discovered...a ghost town. Shock and surprise swept over me. Where were all the tween and teens? How could it be that I have this high school girl mecca all to myself? No lines for the dressing room? Ah, yes, that's right, it's only 10:30 a.m. The girls are undoubtedly still at home in PJs planning to swarm the mall around noon. So from now on, I will only be visiting Forever 21 in the morning lest I find myself in a predicament with a gang of young girls over a pair of jeggings.


*When I say early, I mean like 9:30 a.m. which I realize is not early at all to moms and grown-ups. Only early to me, who is still living in a fantasy world where I'm still us (the carefree just out of college kids) and not them (the responsibility ridden adults) in the us vs. them debate.

The funniest thing I read this week

I got a good chuckle out of this and thought you might too. From Nat the Fat Rat (FYI: Huck is her 10 month old son):

...remembering the very tall man with the bushy beard at church on sunday who noticed huck staring at him and said, "i know what you're wondering. the answer is yes. i am a bear."

Makes me giggle. Another thing that makes me giggle?

Babies in track suits...

Have a lovely weekend!

I wish I would've known

From our trip to Ground Zero last year.

Today is 9/11 and on this day 10 years ago, I was a silly little 18-year-old freshman girl embarking on her second week of college, completely oblivious to the fact that the tragic events that transpired that day would make an indelible mark on our country's history. I wish I would've known. I wish I would've paid more attention and knew what I was watching. I wish I would've been less of a self-centered teenager and more of an educated adult. I wish I would've honored all the lives that were cut short. I wish I would've appreciated the acts of heroism that took place that day.

Badges from Fire Departments around the nation that came to help.

Ten years ago today, I slept in my loft bed with my alarm set to a static ridden radio station. That morning, my alarm went off and I heard a fuzzy announcement about a crash in New York. I wish I would've known to listen more closely.
But I didn't know any better. I was young, foolish and didn't try to understand the events that day. I wish I would've known.

Wannabe

In an effort to immerse myself in the blogosphere, I have latched onto a couple of different trends that have been posted on much cooler blogs than mine. First up, Warby Parker, which I heard about here, here and here. For those of you who don't know, I have been cursed with the eyesight of an 82-year-old. I prefer to wear contacts but recently decided that if I had a pair of glasses that I truly liked I would give them a little playtime and bench my Acuvues once in awhile. I'm also cheap. Enter Warby Parker. Pick out five pairs to try on at home for free for five days, pick out the one you like best and then order frames and lenses in your fave style for $95. Nice.

I tried on my five pairs and I believe I'm going to with the Reece.

To make sure the Dex baby is in on the sweet, sweet blog trends, Jennifer (knowingly?) served as my accomplice when she gifted him with Sophie La Giraffe at one of my baby showers,(wow, that feels like a lifetime ago!) Sophie blew up on the web way before this but like I've mentioned before I am always late to the party. A wannabe.

Dear Photograph

This is blowing up all over the interwebs and I've hopped aboard the bandwagon too. I've fallen for this blog, Dear Photograph. The photos and reader submitted captions are fun and make me want to look through old family photos. Like the photo I included in this post.

Who touch? iTouch

That's right, folks. Mama's officially a cool kid with her new iTouch. Okay, I probably just completely disproved that statement by calling myself "mama" but whatev. Anyway, that Dexter baby was so thoughtful and got me an iTouch for Mother's Day and now I come to you live from my living room couch. Pretty exciting, right?

Maternity leave musings

1. I made a lot of fake friends during my maternity leave. One of them was Bethenny Frankel. I really got into her show and am now on a mission to try her Skinny Girl Margarita. Josh researched it and figured out that they don't sell it in Iowa. In the words of Jennifer, "Jason should really get on that."

2. MTV and VH1 play videos during the wee hours of the morning. Real live music videos. I got to enjoy the musical stylings of Adele, Maroon 5, Avril Lavigne and gasp! Hanson. Yep, they're still mmmbopping after all these years. However, the best one I stumbled across was Bone Thugs N Harmony's "Crossroads". It was like seventh grade all over again.

3. I've convinced myself that if I'm going to do this whole baby thing, I need a smartphone or iTouch or something with easily accessible internet. Bouncing/rocking/dancing/hopping around on one foot for the amusement of a baby makes it nearly impossible to check my Google Reader or post regularly for you folks.

Black Friday buys

Black Friday treated us well. We came home with this guy...who brought along his little buddy, a 5 liter trash can. Younkers, you did it again! These look much sleeker than our kitchen and bathroom trash cans of yore.

The real excitement came when we were at Home Depot though. Last year, Josh's efforts to score a reasonably priced Shop Vac were thwarted when we made the critical error of going straight instead of turning left when entering the store. That temptress, Home Depot included another Shop Vac deal this year so hungry for redemption, Josh and I headed there at 5 a.m. to stake our claim. And alas, efforts were not wasted! Josh scurried ahead while my little pregnant self got stuck behind some cart wielding baby boomers and he managed to get his paws on the item that eluded him in 2009. Here's the best part. As we were walking victoriously to our car, a guy asked Josh if there were any Shop Vacs left, Josh told him that there were a few left and where they were located in the store. And then he turned to me and said, "That's the guy from American Pickers!" Crazy, huh? You know you're jealous!

Dancy and fancy

Best lyric on the radio has to go to Pink's new song, "Raise your glasses". I believe she gives me the best advice I've received in a long time-don't be fancy, just get dancy. Nice.

Hiatus

When you're on hiatus, you get to...

celebrate your husband's 10 year high school reunion,

travel to Ohio to see old friends,

witness the joy on your dog's face when you give him a new bed for his third birthday,

and encourage stunts like this...



Apologies to all of our avid readers for my long absence! I know how you count on this blog to get you through your day ;)

Get your art on

Sorry to be so delinquent with posting. Better late than never though, right?

We did as the Des Moines Arts Festival slogan told us and "got our art on" last weekend. We rarely purchase anything at the annual event and this year we walked away empty-handed. I do enjoy walking around and seeing the amazing/creepy/fun stuff that artists bring to display though.

We had our eye on this...

It would've made a nice little addition to our office once it's all done (which should be sometime in the next decade or two).

And Josh liked these paintings...

And he enjoyed this one...

Other things we did:

• Housewarming party at Joe and Brooke's (the name of their neighborhood is Sterling Trace, not sure what it means but it sounds classy)
• World Cup at Nick and Amy's (bummer about the US, but the potatoes eased the heartache I think)
• Celebrated Annie's golden birthday (woot, woot!)
• Market Day (I did this, Josh took in more World Cup action whilst I was away)

Rain on my parade

It has been raining all weekend and I am so very over it for the following reasons:

• Suds' little heart cannot handle the thunder and lightning that has accompanied all the rain. He gets so worked up and refuses to stop pacing. He tried to jump up into bed with us twice to get away from the demon in the sky that's causing all the ruckus.

• Our outdoor house projects have come to a standstill. We were doing so well with the front porch and backyard and now, nothing.

• Inside, the rain wreaked a little bit of havoc on our basement. Nothing major, but enough to annoy us.

Oh, joy. More rain in the seven-day forecast. Thanks a lot, Ed.

In need of new material

That's a nice horse you got there!

Looks like you need a saddle!

Who's walking who?!

Yes, he's an extra large dog. Yes, I realize that it must look somewhat comical seeing a 5'3" Asian girl walking a dog that comes up to her waist. Yes, the horse comments are cliche. Yes, they are also not very funny. Yes, you should just keep quiet and let us walk in peace until you do think of something original and witty to say.

No (wo)man is an island

Josh had a bachelor party in Vegas so I was left to my own devices this weekend. Thinking that I'd be flying solo for most of the weekend I came up with a nice little to-do list to keep me and Suds preoccupied. And then out of the kindness of their hearts some of my family invited me to a few social engagements so that I didn't have to go without human interaction for three days.

All in all, the weekend shaped up to be a pretty good one:

• Painted front door, adirondack chair and window (verdict: I need some new tunes on my iPod ASAP)
• Visited the Land of Tiny Furniture with Suds (verdict: Suds loves visiting his grandpa)
• Dined on Bruschetta pizza with my dad and aunt (verdict: bruschetta, good. Bruschetta as a pizza, even better)
• Grilled out with cousins (verdict: Fruit pizza from Hy-Vee was a good idea for an impromptu get together...until Annie told you she made one)
• Marathon shopping trip with Jennifer (verdict: I might be a Maxxinista now)

Slugbug...not

Have you seen the new Volkswagen commercial? The one where everyone's playing the slugbug game? My gripe is that VW decided it would be sweet to just capitalize on its popularity and include all their models, not just the beetle. In the commercial everyone's slugbugging willy nilly! What the heck? So not the intent of the game. So not into it.