Why is a baby cow a calf AND the lower, back portion of my leg is called a calf? What is the connection between the two? Which came first? The calf or the calf? Were baby cow calves named after my leg calves, or were my leg calves inexplicably named after baby cow calves? And while we're on the subject, why is the plural of calf calves? And why does it start to look like an alien word or a foreign language after you've written it or seen it too many times?
Tartlet.
There are the things I ponder when I read Pioneer Woman and misread when she's talking about the baby cow calves that they're working and instead think she's talking about her husbands calves. Hey, don't look at me, she's talked about forearms before. It's entirely plausible.
And it's all her fault.
Pioneer Woman strikes again!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Seven Starchless Sunsets
Hello. My name is Lauren and I love bread. Rice. Pasta. Potatoes. And did I mention bread?
Jason and I are going for one full week without any bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, or anything else we deem to starchy. I don't think I'm going to dramatically lose weight or miraculously cure my ailments (this is only a week, after all) but its enough to give my poor body a break for a bit and teach myself to eat more veggies. I don't really remember what prompted me to do it, but last week I decided that, by golly, I was going to go an entire week without bread/starch. I told Jason of this fact and he said "okay, I'll do it too" and I said "really?" because I had expected him to say "okay, you have fun with that sweetie. I'll eat your pizza and garlic bread for you." He likes to surprise me sometimes.
Anyway, we started yesterday (because of my traveling and going home and needing to compulsively eat as much nostalgia-inducing lasagne as possible) and it was really hard. I didn't give myself much of a chance after coming back to plan out a meal, so I had to scrape together a lunch for Tuesday with whatever I had already prepared. That ended up being.... wait for it.....
1) A can of green beans
2) A colby-jack cheese stick
3) Honey-drizzled walnuts (Heaven fell out of the sky. I could eat these all day long)
Lets just say lunch left a lot to be desired yesterday. Like more food. Dinner, however, was tasty. We made teriyaki salmon and sauteed green beans and zucchini. The green beans were good... but I still prefer them not crunchy. I didn't grow up eating crunchy green beans and crunchy green beans give my mouth the memory of things like undercooked pasta. But for undercooked-pasta-green-beans, they were pretty delicious. Zucchini was amazing. Sauteed zucchini always is. It rarely disappoints, that wonderful veggie.
Anywhoozle, today has gone a lot smoother. I planned out breakfast and lunch and we're going to have pork chops with apples and onions and sweet potato fries for dinner. Very excited. (And we decided sweet potatoes were acceptable since they are much healthier than white potatoes and exceedingly delicious.)
One thing that has hit us both already is the sheer amount of bread/starch we consume. I can look through my fridge and cupboard and see bagels, sandwich bread, hot dog buns, rice, pasta galore, pizza. Mountains of bread!! And while I don't ever plan on cutting bread out of my life, I think already, my eyes have been opened enough to cut way back on it. I do not need a bagel for breakfast, dirty rice for lunch, spaghetti for dinner with garlic bread on the side. No matter how good it sounds to my cramping tummy. (tmi? sorry.) And, I'm sad to say, I've had days just like that.
So my goal this week is to conquer the power of the Starch Side and use it for good. Wish me luck in battle.
Jason and I are going for one full week without any bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, or anything else we deem to starchy. I don't think I'm going to dramatically lose weight or miraculously cure my ailments (this is only a week, after all) but its enough to give my poor body a break for a bit and teach myself to eat more veggies. I don't really remember what prompted me to do it, but last week I decided that, by golly, I was going to go an entire week without bread/starch. I told Jason of this fact and he said "okay, I'll do it too" and I said "really?" because I had expected him to say "okay, you have fun with that sweetie. I'll eat your pizza and garlic bread for you." He likes to surprise me sometimes.
Anyway, we started yesterday (because of my traveling and going home and needing to compulsively eat as much nostalgia-inducing lasagne as possible) and it was really hard. I didn't give myself much of a chance after coming back to plan out a meal, so I had to scrape together a lunch for Tuesday with whatever I had already prepared. That ended up being.... wait for it.....
1) A can of green beans
2) A colby-jack cheese stick
3) Honey-drizzled walnuts (Heaven fell out of the sky. I could eat these all day long)
Lets just say lunch left a lot to be desired yesterday. Like more food. Dinner, however, was tasty. We made teriyaki salmon and sauteed green beans and zucchini. The green beans were good... but I still prefer them not crunchy. I didn't grow up eating crunchy green beans and crunchy green beans give my mouth the memory of things like undercooked pasta. But for undercooked-pasta-green-beans, they were pretty delicious. Zucchini was amazing. Sauteed zucchini always is. It rarely disappoints, that wonderful veggie.
Anywhoozle, today has gone a lot smoother. I planned out breakfast and lunch and we're going to have pork chops with apples and onions and sweet potato fries for dinner. Very excited. (And we decided sweet potatoes were acceptable since they are much healthier than white potatoes and exceedingly delicious.)
One thing that has hit us both already is the sheer amount of bread/starch we consume. I can look through my fridge and cupboard and see bagels, sandwich bread, hot dog buns, rice, pasta galore, pizza. Mountains of bread!! And while I don't ever plan on cutting bread out of my life, I think already, my eyes have been opened enough to cut way back on it. I do not need a bagel for breakfast, dirty rice for lunch, spaghetti for dinner with garlic bread on the side. No matter how good it sounds to my cramping tummy. (tmi? sorry.) And, I'm sad to say, I've had days just like that.
So my goal this week is to conquer the power of the Starch Side and use it for good. Wish me luck in battle.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Donuts for Breakfast, Cinnamon Rolls for Lunch!
I very much love where I work.
I (up til today) have been the only girl working in an office of four men and two occasional male interns. They are some of the sweetest men on the planet. I know they would do anything for me in a heartbeat. They are also silly, strange men sometimes and I've grown accustomed to their manly strangeness.
The atmosphere of my job is best illustrated by the way Bubba (boss man) introduced our new Girl Intern (our only one!) to the office. He took her around to each cubicle and introduced her to everybody in turn, and then as soon as he introduced her to the very last person, he said, "Now I'll show you where the water is."
The water is in the fridge. This is clearly just under knowing who you work with on the Work Priorities Scale.
Then he turned to the mostly-empty box of Publix donuts and near-demolished box of cinnamon rolls(Publix... I shall miss you dreadfully when I move to the Northern of the Carolinas!) and said "Vic brings in lunch every day, so you can always have lunch here" and just moved on like that was that and we all eat donuts for lunch everyday. (Really, Bubba, we all know its breakfast)
Now, to clarify the donuts thing... We do have bakery goods rather frequently. For the first month I worked here, we literally had a baked good almost every day. (Have I mentioned this is a horrible place to work and we're all health food nuts?) Lately, though, its tapered off to once or twice a week. It just so happened that today was a donut day for Girl Intern.
It was really all I could do to not laugh out loud when he kept on with his little tour and she was left perplexed about the lunch habits of her coworkers.
It's the little things, really, that make this job so great.
Not to mention I get complimented ALL THE TIME on my speedy phone answering skills. Mostly by the people calling in. It's hilarious every time.
I (up til today) have been the only girl working in an office of four men and two occasional male interns. They are some of the sweetest men on the planet. I know they would do anything for me in a heartbeat. They are also silly, strange men sometimes and I've grown accustomed to their manly strangeness.
The atmosphere of my job is best illustrated by the way Bubba (boss man) introduced our new Girl Intern (our only one!) to the office. He took her around to each cubicle and introduced her to everybody in turn, and then as soon as he introduced her to the very last person, he said, "Now I'll show you where the water is."
The water is in the fridge. This is clearly just under knowing who you work with on the Work Priorities Scale.
Then he turned to the mostly-empty box of Publix donuts and near-demolished box of cinnamon rolls(Publix... I shall miss you dreadfully when I move to the Northern of the Carolinas!) and said "Vic brings in lunch every day, so you can always have lunch here" and just moved on like that was that and we all eat donuts for lunch everyday. (Really, Bubba, we all know its breakfast)
Now, to clarify the donuts thing... We do have bakery goods rather frequently. For the first month I worked here, we literally had a baked good almost every day. (Have I mentioned this is a horrible place to work and we're all health food nuts?) Lately, though, its tapered off to once or twice a week. It just so happened that today was a donut day for Girl Intern.
It was really all I could do to not laugh out loud when he kept on with his little tour and she was left perplexed about the lunch habits of her coworkers.
It's the little things, really, that make this job so great.
Not to mention I get complimented ALL THE TIME on my speedy phone answering skills. Mostly by the people calling in. It's hilarious every time.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Ode to a Chai Tea Friend
Today, while the internet was down at work for literally the entire morning, I was pondering these Chai cookies I'd recently shown to my dear friend Elizabeth (they sound super delicious, okay?) and I decided that if our friendship were a cookie, we would be an Iced Chai Tea Cookie. (I renamed it from “frosted chai tea cookie”) – As if any real persuasion is necessary, here is why:
1) Iced chai tea is the most wonderful drink known to man. Hot chai is equally as wonderful. We are the most wonderful girls and friends known to man.
2) It is a cross between a cupcake and a cookie. Which to me says fluffy, warm, inviting, delicious, and soft. We are warm, inviting, and fluffy/soft in that we are approachable and loving.
3) It has icing. Chai Icing is sure to be the bomb. Clothes are like icing and we are stylish in our own ways and thus, the bomb(s).
4) This cookie is almost certainly sweet and cinnamon-ny and nutmeg-y and delicious. Chai Tea is one of the sweetest ties that bind us! (From our Joffrey's days, where I introduced her to the, now, infamous drink)
5) Like Iced Chai Tea Cookies, our friendship has depth. At first you taste the sweetness, but then you notice the many different delicious savory notes that give it it’s unique flavor.
6) Chai Tea is a gift from God. Our friendship is a gift from God!
7) Cookies are delicious. We both like cookies. This one seems pretty self-explanatory.
8) I can never have Chai without thinking of Elizabeth, and now I will never be able to see/eat these cookies without thinking of Elizabeth.
Elizabeth and I really met when we became twins of our big, Ashley, in Sigma Phi Lambda, but I think the place where our friendship was really tested and grew was at sweet Joffrey's. I made her her very first Iced Chai Tea and started her training and she became PRO and now has coffee making skillz running through her veins. Now we're graduated and off in different states doing non-coffee jobs and the friendship forged in mid-morning rushes, and late night zyrtec filled Bible studies, and patience-teaching Senior Tuesdays, and yoga classes, and sweet retreats, and Gainesville trips, and parking garage heart-to-hearts, and Chai Tea dates is still ever so sweet. But with just enough deliciously subtle savory notes to give it depth and make it unique. ;)
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Visions of PW Eggs Benedict danced in her head...
Do you ever go through phases where you see or partly experience something new and it becomes idyllic and wonderful in your mind and you want to do it SO DARN BAD? And then later you come to your senses and realize just how awful that thing would be if you lived it every day?
I like to call that The Illusion/Disillusionment Cycle, my friend.
I liken it to a child who, for example, wants to be a teacher when she grows up but when she gets older she realizes that she wants nothing more than to NOT be responsible for a group of 20-30 snotty kids who all would much rather be anywhere in the world but in her classroom. It's suitable for others, but definitely not for her.
For grown-ups though (and I use the term loosely) (the word loosely looks so strange regardless of how its spelled. Loosely, loosley, loosly.) I imagine the process to be much quicker. The disillusionment comes in a matter of hours or days.
I bring all this up and discuss my theory because I have recently gone through the Illusion/Disillusionment cycle myself. And it's all The Pioneer Woman's fault.
Now, before you lambast me for blaming my problems on the Pioneer Woman, let me first explain that I love her blog and, since discovering it not really that long ago, I read it all the time. Seriously, if you haven't read her blog before, go read it now. She has a multi-faceted blog about various aspects of her life on a cattle ranch, and my favorite sections are Confessions and PW Cooks. She is absolutely hilarious and everything she cooks makes me want to immediately reach into my screen and eat whatever horrible-for-you-but-oh-so-deliciously-good-looking thing she created. Sometimes she even makes me want to try things I don't like, and I know I don't like - like mushrooms. (blech! ick! ptooey!) Thus is the power of the Pioneer Woman.
Now back to the blaming.
It all began when I started reading her blog and saw her cute photography from the ranch and could catch a glimpse into the life of living in the sticks and doing the cattle thing. Horses and gardens and a pond to fish in and fish kitchen utensils out of (read her blog) and autumn and lots of land and a pretty ranch house all trapped me in Illusionment. I began daydreaming of how much fun it would be to live on a ranch and raise a family on a ranch and sit on my porch in the fall with a cup of hot chocolate, looking out at my ranch. It sounds so peaceful, idyllic, lovely.
And then I realized what a horrible horrible idea it would be for me to live on a ranch. Me - who hates camping and outdoors and outdoors coming indoors. Me, who would love a garden but doesn't want to tend to it becuase there are bugs in the dirt, you know. Me, who can't keep house to save my life and certainly wouldn't be out tending to cattle or whatever was going on on my ranch. Me, who can only imagine the wild buggy creatures who would sneak into my house in the middle of the night and terrorize me in my spice cabinet and bathroom and on the back of the couch, when I least expect it. Not to mention the fact that I simply cannot be more than 5 minutes from some sort of civilization and grocery store. Mostly the store. Preferably a Walmart so I can get other stuff too. Also, cell reception. I'm just assuming cell reception on a ranch isn't the most ideal. Not to mention, waking up early in the morning to tend to whatever is on my ranch. That sounds horrid.
Thus, Disillusionment.
So thank you, Pioneer Woman, for reminding me that, while ranch life can be awesome for the right people, I am not the right people. Now, console me and my lost dream with your tasty looking food. Amen.
I like to call that The Illusion/Disillusionment Cycle, my friend.
I liken it to a child who, for example, wants to be a teacher when she grows up but when she gets older she realizes that she wants nothing more than to NOT be responsible for a group of 20-30 snotty kids who all would much rather be anywhere in the world but in her classroom. It's suitable for others, but definitely not for her.
For grown-ups though (and I use the term loosely) (the word loosely looks so strange regardless of how its spelled. Loosely, loosley, loosly.) I imagine the process to be much quicker. The disillusionment comes in a matter of hours or days.
I bring all this up and discuss my theory because I have recently gone through the Illusion/Disillusionment cycle myself. And it's all The Pioneer Woman's fault.
Now, before you lambast me for blaming my problems on the Pioneer Woman, let me first explain that I love her blog and, since discovering it not really that long ago, I read it all the time. Seriously, if you haven't read her blog before, go read it now. She has a multi-faceted blog about various aspects of her life on a cattle ranch, and my favorite sections are Confessions and PW Cooks. She is absolutely hilarious and everything she cooks makes me want to immediately reach into my screen and eat whatever horrible-for-you-but-oh-so-deliciously-good-looking thing she created. Sometimes she even makes me want to try things I don't like, and I know I don't like - like mushrooms. (blech! ick! ptooey!) Thus is the power of the Pioneer Woman.
Now back to the blaming.
It all began when I started reading her blog and saw her cute photography from the ranch and could catch a glimpse into the life of living in the sticks and doing the cattle thing. Horses and gardens and a pond to fish in and fish kitchen utensils out of (read her blog) and autumn and lots of land and a pretty ranch house all trapped me in Illusionment. I began daydreaming of how much fun it would be to live on a ranch and raise a family on a ranch and sit on my porch in the fall with a cup of hot chocolate, looking out at my ranch. It sounds so peaceful, idyllic, lovely.
And then I realized what a horrible horrible idea it would be for me to live on a ranch. Me - who hates camping and outdoors and outdoors coming indoors. Me, who would love a garden but doesn't want to tend to it becuase there are bugs in the dirt, you know. Me, who can't keep house to save my life and certainly wouldn't be out tending to cattle or whatever was going on on my ranch. Me, who can only imagine the wild buggy creatures who would sneak into my house in the middle of the night and terrorize me in my spice cabinet and bathroom and on the back of the couch, when I least expect it. Not to mention the fact that I simply cannot be more than 5 minutes from some sort of civilization and grocery store. Mostly the store. Preferably a Walmart so I can get other stuff too. Also, cell reception. I'm just assuming cell reception on a ranch isn't the most ideal. Not to mention, waking up early in the morning to tend to whatever is on my ranch. That sounds horrid.
Thus, Disillusionment.
So thank you, Pioneer Woman, for reminding me that, while ranch life can be awesome for the right people, I am not the right people. Now, console me and my lost dream with your tasty looking food. Amen.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
My Facebook Has an Imp
This morning an imp invaded my facebook.
Imps are common problems in technology, in case you didn't know. They are always hopping in things, messing them up, and leaving just as suddenly as they came.
Every inexplicable technological problem you have that mysteriously resolves itself after torturing you with varying levels of mischief was caused by such an imp. Also, the kind that don't mysteriously resolve themselves. Imps there too.
Today, there is an imp in my facebook. Not the kind that really makes a mess of things and shuts down computers or convinces cell phones to leap out of the safety of an owner's pocket into the watery depths of the nearest toilet or washing machine, but the kind that just makes enough trouble to be aggrivating.
My facebook imp makes my FB newsfeed continually jump right back to the top, no matter where I am in the page. I could have scrolled down to Timbuktu and have been reading about something that happened last week, when all of a sudden, with no warning or cause - JUMP! - suddenly I am staring at that blasted first post on my newsfeed again. No worries, though, I'll just scroll back down, I think. Right? Obnoxious, but easily resolved.
*scroll scroll* goes my mouse.
JUMP! goes the imp. Right. Back. To. The. Top.
Well now that's just insulting. I try to see if I can outsmart this FB imp. I let my mouse wander around the screen as if I am perusing my options to play Gardens of Time, and then ah HA! I scroll so fast I must be halfway through yesterday!
Jump! goes the imp. Ever so nonchalantly. Like he was waiting for me.
Then in dire frustration I vow FB off completely (only for the next few minutes, of course, I am from this generation after all) and log off to blog about the imp and expose him to the world. Or at least the 3 people who read this blog.
This has been a Public Service Announcement.
You're welcome, you three.
Imps are common problems in technology, in case you didn't know. They are always hopping in things, messing them up, and leaving just as suddenly as they came.
Every inexplicable technological problem you have that mysteriously resolves itself after torturing you with varying levels of mischief was caused by such an imp. Also, the kind that don't mysteriously resolve themselves. Imps there too.
Today, there is an imp in my facebook. Not the kind that really makes a mess of things and shuts down computers or convinces cell phones to leap out of the safety of an owner's pocket into the watery depths of the nearest toilet or washing machine, but the kind that just makes enough trouble to be aggrivating.
My facebook imp makes my FB newsfeed continually jump right back to the top, no matter where I am in the page. I could have scrolled down to Timbuktu and have been reading about something that happened last week, when all of a sudden, with no warning or cause - JUMP! - suddenly I am staring at that blasted first post on my newsfeed again. No worries, though, I'll just scroll back down, I think. Right? Obnoxious, but easily resolved.
*scroll scroll* goes my mouse.
JUMP! goes the imp. Right. Back. To. The. Top.
Well now that's just insulting. I try to see if I can outsmart this FB imp. I let my mouse wander around the screen as if I am perusing my options to play Gardens of Time, and then ah HA! I scroll so fast I must be halfway through yesterday!
Jump! goes the imp. Ever so nonchalantly. Like he was waiting for me.
Then in dire frustration I vow FB off completely (only for the next few minutes, of course, I am from this generation after all) and log off to blog about the imp and expose him to the world. Or at least the 3 people who read this blog.
This has been a Public Service Announcement.
You're welcome, you three.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
A Summer Celebration!
Two Mondays ago was Jason's final Final of the YEAR!! So to celebrate (because I love any excuse to celebrate) I planned out a WHOLE WEEK of fun activities! Originally, I was going to plan a weekend, but there was a dire need for garage sale-ing. (Mom, bet you never thought you'd hear me say that!). So instead, I planned out a little thing for each day of the week after I got off work.
Monday we didn't do anything because he had his last final at 8:00 at night (yikes, UF!)
Tuesday, we had a veg out day to let his brain relax and to begin the summer in true L&J style. Because Jason already figured out what we were doing on Thursday, we decided to watch all of the movies leading up to the big night! The Avengers! So on Tuesday, we watched Iron Man and The Hulk. (HULK SMASH! - we had to watch that part a couple times)
Wednesday, we went to a nearby park for a picnic and to play frisbee! I learned how to properly catch and release a frisbee! Our frisbee adventure was cut short because I had choir rehearsal, but we resumed our celebration afterwards with $5 Bang Bang Shrimp at Bonefish. So flipping delicious. Also, the cheapest Bonefish date ever!
Thursday was originally supposed to be a surprise, we were going to the midnight premiere of the Avengers, but he figured it out and then I had some bank problems so he ended up buying the tickets for us. But it was SO AWESOME! Our theater was hilarious. We were in a Regal and they always have a roller coaster when the previews are about to start so you know the movie is coming and to quiet down. Its a first person perspective and you go up and down on a roller coaster through giant popcorn and sodas and other various concessions. Jason and I usually pretend we are on the roller coaster but we are very subtle about it so that other movie goers aren't disturbed.... by us. Well, when the roller coaster started, over half of the theater throws their hands in the air and leans back and forth in all the turns and drops going "WOOOO!!!!!"
Then, after the movie was over, the credits began rolling and about 8 people got up to leave (noobs). The guy sitting directly in front of us shouts as loud as he can "SIT DOWN, YOU FOOLS! YOU CAN'T LEAVE YET!!" And everyone else burst out laughing.... because we're in the know. You ALWAYS stay for the sneak peek at the end. Those poor souls ignored his advice and left anyway.
It was the single greatest movie-going experience of our lives.
I had originally thought I would have Monday through Thursday for events, so I planned an extra one, but seeing as Jason's final was obnoxiously late, it got bumped to the next week. I don't really have a good picture of the event itself, but I got 150 glow-in-the-dark stars and put them all over my ceiling. Jason and I love stargazing and we are always wanting to go, but don't because of light pollution, or bugs, or weather, or work in the morning, or whatever. So now we can stargaze whenever we want! Fun Fact: Jason had no idea how glow in the dark stars worked. He LOVED them!
Each day, he got coupons with his activity! There were like, 2 or 3 per day. He's really excited about them, but will likely save them for so long he forgets he has them.
It was an AWESOME week full of fun Summer things and it rang in the summer excellently for the both of us! And just because I know you want to see this:
Monday we didn't do anything because he had his last final at 8:00 at night (yikes, UF!)
Tuesday, we had a veg out day to let his brain relax and to begin the summer in true L&J style. Because Jason already figured out what we were doing on Thursday, we decided to watch all of the movies leading up to the big night! The Avengers! So on Tuesday, we watched Iron Man and The Hulk. (HULK SMASH! - we had to watch that part a couple times)
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| Outside of the card |
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| Inside the card! (That says Pizza, not Rizza.) |
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| I have a good helper. He likes to be where I am. |
Wednesday, we went to a nearby park for a picnic and to play frisbee! I learned how to properly catch and release a frisbee! Our frisbee adventure was cut short because I had choir rehearsal, but we resumed our celebration afterwards with $5 Bang Bang Shrimp at Bonefish. So flipping delicious. Also, the cheapest Bonefish date ever!
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| Outside |
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| Inside |
Thursday was originally supposed to be a surprise, we were going to the midnight premiere of the Avengers, but he figured it out and then I had some bank problems so he ended up buying the tickets for us. But it was SO AWESOME! Our theater was hilarious. We were in a Regal and they always have a roller coaster when the previews are about to start so you know the movie is coming and to quiet down. Its a first person perspective and you go up and down on a roller coaster through giant popcorn and sodas and other various concessions. Jason and I usually pretend we are on the roller coaster but we are very subtle about it so that other movie goers aren't disturbed.... by us. Well, when the roller coaster started, over half of the theater throws their hands in the air and leans back and forth in all the turns and drops going "WOOOO!!!!!"
Then, after the movie was over, the credits began rolling and about 8 people got up to leave (noobs). The guy sitting directly in front of us shouts as loud as he can "SIT DOWN, YOU FOOLS! YOU CAN'T LEAVE YET!!" And everyone else burst out laughing.... because we're in the know. You ALWAYS stay for the sneak peek at the end. Those poor souls ignored his advice and left anyway.
It was the single greatest movie-going experience of our lives.
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| Envelope |
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| Outside |
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| Inside |
I had originally thought I would have Monday through Thursday for events, so I planned an extra one, but seeing as Jason's final was obnoxiously late, it got bumped to the next week. I don't really have a good picture of the event itself, but I got 150 glow-in-the-dark stars and put them all over my ceiling. Jason and I love stargazing and we are always wanting to go, but don't because of light pollution, or bugs, or weather, or work in the morning, or whatever. So now we can stargaze whenever we want! Fun Fact: Jason had no idea how glow in the dark stars worked. He LOVED them!
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| "You are cordially invited...." |
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| "I would be distinctly honored if you would join me for an evening under the stars. Please RSVP with a kiss" |
Each day, he got coupons with his activity! There were like, 2 or 3 per day. He's really excited about them, but will likely save them for so long he forgets he has them.
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It was an AWESOME week full of fun Summer things and it rang in the summer excellently for the both of us! And just because I know you want to see this:
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| Kitty in wrapping paper!!!! |
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
The Auntie is a Dangerous Auntie
Well, Auntie Lauren has been replaced by Tragic Auntie.
Tragic, because Terrible, Horrible, No-good, Very bad Auntie is much too wordy.
This weekend, while visiting my brother and his family, I took my 2 year old nephew for a walk around the block while his parentals prepared for a garage sale. We had a lovely time jumping out of the way of cars, jumping on rocks in the parking lot, jumping out at lizards to scare them witless. Essentially lots of jumping. Also running and squealing and generally being a rambunctious 2-year-old boy.
We took the Go-Go and he decided to run up a driveway (scaring lizards) and he realized "That would be an awesome hill to ride my Go-Go down". So he hopped on his Go-Go and before I could react, flew down the driveway, hitting the lip where the driveway meets the road, flipped straight over the front and smacked his face on the road. I could see it coming. It happened so quick. It was like it was in slow motion as he rode down the hill with such glee on his face and I ran towards him yelling in a deep slow-motion voice "Nooooooo! Yooouuuu'rree gggooonnnnnaaa ccrraaasssshhh!!!"
And sure enough, he did.
His poor forehead broke his fall. He immediately started crying (I don't blame him! I almost did too!) and so Tragic Auntie picked him and the Go-Go up and walked them both back around the circle to the house. (Tragic Auntie later learned she could have cut straight across. Sigh.) Daddy came and rescued him and the poor baby was distraught for the rest of the day.
The next day he was just fine. Unless of course, you tried to wipe his nose. Then he became a Tasmanian Devil. But what kid doesn't become a Tasmanian Devil when there is nose-wiping to be done?
And that is the story of how Auntie Lauren became Tragic Auntie.
Tragic, because Terrible, Horrible, No-good, Very bad Auntie is much too wordy.
This weekend, while visiting my brother and his family, I took my 2 year old nephew for a walk around the block while his parentals prepared for a garage sale. We had a lovely time jumping out of the way of cars, jumping on rocks in the parking lot, jumping out at lizards to scare them witless. Essentially lots of jumping. Also running and squealing and generally being a rambunctious 2-year-old boy.
We took the Go-Go and he decided to run up a driveway (scaring lizards) and he realized "That would be an awesome hill to ride my Go-Go down". So he hopped on his Go-Go and before I could react, flew down the driveway, hitting the lip where the driveway meets the road, flipped straight over the front and smacked his face on the road. I could see it coming. It happened so quick. It was like it was in slow motion as he rode down the hill with such glee on his face and I ran towards him yelling in a deep slow-motion voice "Nooooooo! Yooouuuu'rree gggooonnnnnaaa ccrraaasssshhh!!!"
And sure enough, he did.
His poor forehead broke his fall. He immediately started crying (I don't blame him! I almost did too!) and so Tragic Auntie picked him and the Go-Go up and walked them both back around the circle to the house. (Tragic Auntie later learned she could have cut straight across. Sigh.) Daddy came and rescued him and the poor baby was distraught for the rest of the day.
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| It's okay - chicks dig scars. PS - Aren't his eyes just gorgeous? |
The next day he was just fine. Unless of course, you tried to wipe his nose. Then he became a Tasmanian Devil. But what kid doesn't become a Tasmanian Devil when there is nose-wiping to be done?
And that is the story of how Auntie Lauren became Tragic Auntie.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
The Nanny-Auntie
In about 2 1/2 months, I will be moving from this Swampland to the "north" South - North Carolina!! I will be living with my sister and brother-in-law and nannying for my newest adorable nephew! For a little backstory:
He was born 9 weeks early at 3lbz 6oz by emergency C-section. He and his loving, attentive parents and assorted grandparents stayed by his side in the NICU for about 2 months until it was finally time to come home! Now, clearly, I've skipped a bunch of his story, but that is my sister's story to tell (link to be added). He has since been doing spectacularly and is (what seems like in comparison) a pudgy 7lbs and some oz change! His adjusted age (how old he would be if he were born on his due date) is now about 1 1/2 weeks old. He's already rolled himself over! I am very excited to be his nanny (I hear he is very snuggly! I love baby snuggles!)
I will be his Nanny-Auntie when his Mommy goes back to work. I think this calls for a theme song.... (to the tune of The Nanny theme - if you dont know it, shame on you)
Yup, that should do it. Just play that everytime I walk in the room from now on, please. Thank you.
He was born 9 weeks early at 3lbz 6oz by emergency C-section. He and his loving, attentive parents and assorted grandparents stayed by his side in the NICU for about 2 months until it was finally time to come home! Now, clearly, I've skipped a bunch of his story, but that is my sister's story to tell (link to be added). He has since been doing spectacularly and is (what seems like in comparison) a pudgy 7lbs and some oz change! His adjusted age (how old he would be if he were born on his due date) is now about 1 1/2 weeks old. He's already rolled himself over! I am very excited to be his nanny (I hear he is very snuggly! I love baby snuggles!)
I will be his Nanny-Auntie when his Mommy goes back to work. I think this calls for a theme song.... (to the tune of The Nanny theme - if you dont know it, shame on you)
"She was working as receptionist in swampy lands
til her sister had a kid and needed a helping hand.
What else could she do? Why would she not go?
They were in need of a nanny!
So all the way from Florida to her sister's door,
She was there to feed bottles and change diapers galore!
She has style! She has flair! And nice hair!
She is the Nanny-Auntie!!"
til her sister had a kid and needed a helping hand.
What else could she do? Why would she not go?
They were in need of a nanny!
So all the way from Florida to her sister's door,
She was there to feed bottles and change diapers galore!
She has style! She has flair! And nice hair!
She is the Nanny-Auntie!!"
Yup, that should do it. Just play that everytime I walk in the room from now on, please. Thank you.
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| Look at this sweet little face!!! |
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