Wednesday, January 28, 2009

And the winners are....

Kate for her 1978 memory. I was 4 so I have vague memories of being home with my mom for a few days while my dad (a firefighter at the time) was stuck at work the whole time. I do remember they walked my brothers and I down to the convenience store around the corner on a sled to get some groceries.

Danielle for her April Fool's storm memory. I remember that one too, it was my last year of college and my brother and father were coming home from Florida together and they couldn't get any further so they ended up on my doorstep at like 4PM and stayed over night. That was a fun time and I was glad for the company.

Emily is still thinking but at least commented where needed so she wins too.

So ladies please e-mail me your addresses so I can drop my boxes into the mail and believe me you do not want to wait, these boxes are fun!

My most fond memory of a snow day is from 1996. Some classmates and I stayed at school really late until like midnight trying to study for our P-Chem test and finally looked out a window and realized that it was snowing pretty hard. So some of the guys decided to just sleep there but I wanted to go home so one classmate of mine and I decided to leave and get home. So we left my car and we drove to his house (did I mention I had a HUGE crush on this guy??) since he didn't want to let me drive home alone and we had resigned ourselves that we pretty much had to stay up all night since it would take so long to get home and then back to the school since we had the test at 9AM. So we went to his house, he showered while I snoozed on the couch. Then we went to my house where I showered and he snoozed. We watched TV morning news to see if URI cancelled classes, but they didn't. So we left the house (it was still snowing), went to school and headed to Kinko's copies so that we could finish pulling together our "cheat sheet" that the professor let us bring in. One sheet of paper that you could take into the test filled front and back. So of course we were shrinking and copying, etc. etc. to make it all fit on one sheet. The snow started to taper off but the power kept blinking so it was taking forever to make our sheets. Finally the copy guy asked us why we were so hell bent on finishing it since classes were cancelled for the day. Nice.

So we did finish our cheat sheets, went out for a great breakfast on campus and he helped me clean off my car so I could go home to sleep. I lived by myself that year in college so I was able to just cuddle on the couch by myself, slept between different bad daytime TV and movies and had an extra day to study for my test, which I got a B on but was estatic since many people fail this class....oh and I spent the night (okay not technically) with my crush. He had a girlfriend at the time which was why he was only a crush but we did have a great friendship. Unfortunately we stayed in touch just a little while after college but have since lost touch. Last I heard he did marry that girlfriend and they have a son.

I know, I know, it should be about Gary and the girls but I think we all have a particular fondness for college memories.

So Kate, Danielle and Emily please send your addresses to me at tas1120 at gmail dot com.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Pillow Fight

Nicole is getting a monster eye tooth on the bottom right. It's been hellish trying to cope and she will oftentimes drop down in a pool of crying for no reason at all. It's required an endless amount of patience to even deal with her sometimes. And her cry is not just a whimper or a shout out, it is an all out scream so that I don't know if a leg has been severed or if Aimee is playing with something she wants. It's been difficult for sure.

She woke up at about 4AM today. We've been making her stay in her bed if she wakes up anytime before this so I took a chance and brought her in with me. There is nothing quite like spooning with your own child. Just given the chance to wrap my arms around her and sleep is great. Even though it is only for a few minutes because from then out she is trying to take my pillow! We have flannel sheets on the bed for the winter weather but she is insistent on taking the top pillow which is my favorite. I think it is because it has the snowman pillowcase. I finally gave up and took the bottom pillow and we drifted off to sleep for a good 3 hours. What a nice way to start the day!

Final day people. If you want to add your favorite snow day be sure to post below. Prizes will be mailed out this week.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Extension

Wow - I don't think I have ever posted this much in a week.

In any event I am extending the Pay it Forward contest until Tuesday evening so get in your responses to the question otherwise the three posters I had in general about this whole thing will win the contest. They may still win anyway because I am throwing their names in just for being active enough to post!

And as luck would have it no sooner did I post about good sleep habits than they go out the window. Both girls woke me up last night. So much fun this middle of the night wakings.

Now hurry up and post!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Here it is!!!

Okay, sorry it took me so long to post this, I had to take some time and with kids that is something I don't always get to choose when I get it. So, without further ado here is the awesome package that McCashew sent me for winning the Pay it Forward contest. It was devine!


It came with an EASY button, because it's really fun, some Cashews of course in a great little rubbermaid container that I am over the moon about for packing my lunches, a magic eraser which has already vanished some crayon marks on the walls, Keihls eye make up remover which is great and came with a 2 oz container that will be friendly for airport travel and my favorite of all time....a new must have when going to Trader Joe's....mini peanut butter cups. They are as yummy as they are deadly. I could have easily sat down and eaten the whole box. I had to ration them into the girls snack cups they were so good. So good that I even had to put the box in the other room so that I wouldn't keep going into the cupboard.

While I don't think I could top the package I received, I do have some great things I picked up ready to go into my packaged. Okay so go...go now, post your favorite snow day so that I can put you into the running for a great middle of the winter pick me up!

Anyone out there??

I know that more of you out there read my blog. Do you not want to pay it forward? It's cold outside, Christmas is over, what else is there to look forward to than getting a cool package in the mail from yours truly? Is it that I haven't enticed you enough by showing you what McCashew sent to me? Is that the problem? I will post here later today with the picture of her awesome package.

In the meantime, keep reading, keep posting your comments.

Last night both girls slept right through the night. I thought after having Nicole in our bed for 4 nights straight she was broken into bad sleep habits. But after looking into her mouth yesterday as I was tickling her, I saw the evidence of an eye tooth breaking through in the bottom. She has gotten her teeth in such a strange pattern. But the more she gets, the more she will hopefully be able to eat. Or maybe I am just hoping she eats more so I can stop with the Carnation instant breakfasts I have been feeding her. She will eat any piece of fruit and a variety of veggies I put in front of her before she touches meat, cheese or the like. It's frustrating for me, who I think has always had a dubious relationship with food.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Friday Activities

Well last night Nicole slept right through the night like a champ, but in typical kid world, Aimee was up quite a bit coughing and sneezing with a cold she has picked up. I swear it never ends around here. So we are skipping playgroup today to go to the grocery store with our Papa (my father). It's rather funny to see him pushing around the grocery store cart with the little car installed. I don't think he would have done that when we were kids.

My father totalled my mother's car about 2 years ago when he was running out to the store for something and when he was coming around the corner, the sun suddenly hit his windshield just right to literally blind him. So he tried to pull over to the side of the road but misjudged and hit a pole. He was completely fine other than a good hit from the airbag. He was a firefighter in his earlier days and retired about 15 years ago. So when the firefighters insisted he needed to be boarded and put into the ambulance after he had been walking around for about 10 minutes he refused. So it was my brother's friend who is a local firefighter said "Mr. Santoro, please let us take you to be checked out," that he decided the quickest way to end the argument was to just go. So he calmly called my mother with the policeman's phone who responded first and told my mother that he was going to the hospital, he probably totalled her car and not to rush, it's always a while at the ER. And ever since he has had little interest in driving.

So my girls enjoy these trips where we take Papa out on adventures on the highway to various destinations like the stores and banks. With him not driving I think him and my mother end up with a little too much together time. I guess after 36 years of marriage you know all the quirks with your partner but that doesn't mean you like them any more than when you discovered them!

Hurry and get your comments in, I will choose a winner on Sunday. So keep on posting about your favorite snow day.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Your Favorite Snow Day

Seeing as how we have had a few too many snow storms so far this season for my taste, I thought I would put a positive spin on it and ask what your favorite snow day was for you. Remember the night before mid-terms in school when you would look out for a flake or two? Or how about grade school even when you would pray for enough snow to keep you home to play in it? Or how about now if you have kids or pets to play in it with you? Even college days when you weren't sure which way to go because you had studied so hard and were ready for the exam before all that knowledge left through your ears but another day to study did seem appealing. I know mine (I have a few) and will share it as soon as you all post yours! I will pick three winners from the posts I receive. So all you lurkers out there post up or else EmilyZ and JennR will win just from their past comments -- though they can still win anyway if I pick their name out of my hat!

Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Pay it Forward

Okay, I know I suck at posting here lately but with my hacking cough daughter, lots of snow to keep the kids indoors or outdoors as the case may be, I haven't had enough computer and me time. I still have to download software so that I can use my beloved Nikon D-40 (which I love love love) to show you all the great things McCashew put in to my package. I have been busy picking up things to put into my packages as I realize what my favorite things are. So I am going to post here tomorrow for you all to respond to with a question that you will have to answer to enter. Have I enticed you??? I hope so. Again, no blog needed to compete here -- I will post questions and answers for you here if you don't have a blog so you can pay it forward on your own!

In other news, life here has been going along well. I think I missed posting about Nicole's big day...but as any second child can attest to (me being one myself) we just don't get the recognition the first child gets. But yes, Nicole turned 2 back on January 9th. We celebrated with some friends in our playgroup with some macaroni and cheese and cupcakes. It was fun and we had a family party at our house the following Sunday after it....snowed! D'oh.

Here she is in the hospital




And here she is this week albeit without her pj bottoms (taken with my Kodak Easyshare so I could easily share it with you!)

Happy Belated 2nd Birthday little girl.

Again, stay tuned for Pay it Forward tomorrow! Great prizes to be won!!!!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Holy Cold Batman!

It is so cold outside today and the threat is that it will be worse tomorrow. I don't think our furnace shut off at all last night. Brrr...

As you know we are currently renting what used to be my grandparents house. Up until we moved in there was a constant flux of renters in and out of the house. My grandmother passed away in 1996 and my mother started to rent the house in 1997 and ever since it has seen quite an array of people. We by far are the best tenants because of course the proximity of grandchildren to grandparents but also because of the stuff we actually do to the house. Oh well and for the occasional add on to grocery lists or splitting of super size items that is too much for one family.

Last night I decided (at 6PM I might add) while Gary was at the Celtics game, that I should shrink wrap Aimee's window. There was quite a draft coming in there and since these windows have been in place since 1978 when the place was built they are not the most energy efficient ones out there. But until all parties involved (my parents, brother, us..) know what we are doing for future home occupancy, major updates like siding and windows are on hold. So last year I wrapped Aimee's window and it worked well. This year I held off because I hate to keep the shades in one position and when you wrap the windows this is what happens. But last night I could just FEEL the cold coming in when I was helping her get dressed for bed so I broke out the kit I bought and started taping and cutting. The kit they have this year is ingenious. It is already pre-taped at the top and you just unroll, cut and stick. Works like a charm! So I swabbed with alcohol, taped up the sides of the windows with the double sided stuff and put the wrap along the top edge of the window and pressed it all into place. For those of you who haven't done this before, the next step involves a hair dryer and shrinking this stuff into place.

Luckily I have my two assistants with their own hair dryers to help me out. So with the battery operated and the use your imagination sound dryers we secured that shrink wrap into place no sweat. Who would have thought it was a 3 - woman job? And since the new pink insulated curtains I bought for Aimee's room are currently on order I had to rig up this obscene window covering concoction for the evening so that the weird neighbors next door (not the grandparents, the other side) could not see in. With a few hair clips (think Jennifer Aniston up do), heavy fleece of the couch sitting variety blanket and the curtain rod I put up a lovely temporary curtain for the event. Aimee loved it and even told me when she got into bed that she was nice and toasty. Not sure she even realizes what that means but she sounded so cute saying it.

I finally got the two cherubs to bed and asleep, finish cleaning the kitchen and living room when I could hear a wretched cough coming out of Nicole. My niece was over for Nicole's birthday party this past Sunday and had a wicked cough that we have come to learn turned into pneumonia. So I am keeping my appendages crossed that Nicole only gets a cold and it doesn't turn into pneumonia for her. She was just coincidentally at the DR yesterday for her 2 year annual check up which she passed with flying colors and there was not notice of any fluid in lungs and two ears free of any fluid. As an aside, she has gained just under 3 pounds since her last visit which actually puts her in the 5th percentile for weight, up from the 3rd percentile that she has been in. She is still in the 20th percentile for height which means she is short and thin. But the DR is not too worried so neither am I.

Suffice to say she woke herself up last night from coughing. So I went into her room to try and soothe her but she races up, grabs her blanket and baby and reaches for me saying "your bed." So she slept with us last night and I use the term loosely. You see when either of our children wind up in bed with us at night, they seem to prefer my side of the bed, the part I am actually lying on and pretty much snuggle into me such that each time I move even a little bit to the edge, they continually move that much closer. Cute yes, warm definitely yes, good sleeping position...not so much. Add into it a husband who had a few beers at the Celtics game to make him snore like a Grizzly bear and you have my evening. Today was a joy to get out of bed and my eyes have that slightly stingy feeling that only goes away with closing them. Nicole wasn't all happy to get out of bed either and mumbled continually about not wanting to go to "school" today.

So I think I have had enough of the winter, cold and flu season and sub arctic temperatures. I don't mind snow, so long as it stays above 32 degrees to keep things bearable. But getting a polar headache just walking from the house to the car is too much.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Cubeland

Ever see Office Space? Do you like Dilbert? That is basically where I work. I love my job, don't get me wrong. That part does not pertain to office space or Dilbert. But the cubefarm of engineers and other geeks that I reside in the few days I come in to the office never ceases to amaze me. I probably know more about my cubemates than I do most of my close friends. Like the guy next to me is going to have chicken Parmesan tonight for supper? Can't say I know what my own parents are having tonight.

Being in close proximity also lends itself to overhearing many, many other conversations besides the aforementioned dinner plans. Today I was inadvertently - meaning she was talking loudly, how the hell could I not over hear - a newer coworker talking on her phone. She obviously does not know how loud she is or that we can all hear her. But she must be young. I can tell not only because of her obvious non-work related conversations but also because all of her statements go up at the end in a sort of questioning tone. For instance - I was thinking that we could change the spreadsheet. Sounds innocent enough. But try putting it into a question like tone. That is her EVERY sentence people. After listening to a few of her conversations even work related I am starting to wonder if her voice needs to go up that last octave or if it has just become habit. Either way it has become like nails on a chalkboard for me. UGH. The most non-irritating questions become unbearable to listen to.

I have to admit that at one point I was graced with an "anonymous" e-mail from a fellow cube mate one late afternoon. It was about 3 weeks before my wedding and of course anyone I talked to on the phone was asking me about it, trying to finish up project work but still asking me wedding details and questions. So apparently at 5:30 one afternoon this particular individual had decided that my later afternoon (after hours I might add) conversation was annoying. Now granted it was later so there wasn't the normal buzz of conversations dulling the noise because most people had left for the day (get it...most people had LEFT for the day). I was just off the phone and I suddenly have an e-mail pop up from a yahoo e-mail account that is from blueeyes at yahoo dot com saying my conversations were too loud and I should think about lowering my voice for obvious non-work related phone calls. I was miffed to say the least because this person didn't have the balls to either use their work e-mail so I could respond properly or come over in person to ask me nicely. Unfortunately this person was relatively new to our company and I had been there almost 8 years at this point. So I knew instantly who the blue eyed e-mailer was. Not hard to figure out when everyone on my side of the building knows me and I them. So I waltzed over there and asked this one person left in the cube area near me with (gasp!) blue eyes who had been at our company about two weeks and looked younger than Bam Bam. I politely said something to the effect of not liking their choice of communication means. He looked shocked and stammered that he had no idea what I was talking about and oh you are getting married well congratulations to you..when is the big day. Save it buster.

So I get it, not always that easy to talk in hushed tones when in the office setting and cubeland. But really, the next generation has to get it together. We don't all need to sound like Cindy Brady and state all of our sentences with a question mark. I know it's not very Pay it Forward of me to be talking like this about my co-workers. I do think I have a bit of ADHD because I can stop what I am doing to try and overhear a conversation about people I don't even know. And one other little miff for me with the next generation....what is with the short pants? Washing and drying will shrink your cotton slacks, please purchase appropriately because we can tell when your socks don't match otherwise.

In other news, I have not updated you recently on my WW progress because there has not been any. I did really well in all aspects leading up to Christmas and then the week of Christmas I just fell apart. In hindsight making baked goods as gifts for daycare teachers and office friends was not the best choice since once one little morsel went in it was hard to stop the onslaught. I have had an epiphany though and in conjunction with my tight pants I made efforts to do some sort of physical activity and order broccoli with my black bean burger from Chili's. So there is progress people. I don't know how much I have gained but I go back to my meeting tomorrow night so we'll see. I can't get my rings on lately and it's freezing out so that can't be a good sign.

And still stay tuned people, readers whoever is out there (Jenn and Emily maybe it's only you two) because the Pay it Forward contest is looming ahead. I have done some serious scouting of potential package contents and I am getting excited to put it together. I am debating what to ask you all to post about. More details soon.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Pay it Forward Contest

Some of you may have forgotten that I won a Pay it Forward contest back in November on McCashew's website. With the holidays and such a busy time in the life of people, I received my package on Monday and it was definitely worth the wait. I will post a picture for you soon once I figure out how to get pictures off my brand spanking new Nikon D40 that Gary got for me. What a great guy...he also wants to use my present though...hmmm, ulterior motive, perhaps?

In any event, it is my turn so I am going to have a Pay it Forward Contest. What is it you may ask? Well it is just like it sounds and if you have seen the movie all the better. You basically get a chance to pay forward to a perfect stranger perhaps or even someone known but not often seen. Three random readers who comment will be selected. I won on McCashew and as the winner I need to pay it forward. So stay tuned for the pictures of McCashew's awesome prize of goodies and the go ahead on which post to comment on. The three winners of my contest will also be expected to pay it forward and on and on and on.

So what if you don't have a blog? Not a problem, I will help you out here on my blog for you. If you do have a blog though it is easy to host your own by drawing the names of three comments at random. Sorry I can't divulge the contents of what I am thinking of putting into my box o' goodies but rest assured I am thinking I will have to copy McCashew on one item that is to die for that I have already scoped out in local stores. Stay tuned for pictures and information and direct all your friends here. I promise to post and update more often so that things don't get so stale around here.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

And onto 2009

I can't believe that the holidays have come and gone. I always get a bit blue just after them. It is such a buildup, we get all excited, buy a tree, decorate, find the perfect gifts for everyone on our list, wrap them up, send the cute holiday cards, bake until the pants are tight and plan plan plan and then in 24 hours or so...it's all over. True there are a few more days between Christmas and New Years where there are typically more celebrations and visiting with relatives. But then the tree is down, needles wiped up and rubbermaid totes re-packed with the green and red type decorations.

My brother and sister in law were in Maine this year to visit her side of the family so it was just going to be my parents, brother Chris and us for dinner. But instead we had surprise visitors. My mothers first cousin, Georgeana, who lives in Vermont was dog sitting for her son who went to visit his in-laws in New Mexico. So she came down with her grown daughter and other grown son who is single to visit for the holiday. We love this cousin. Her mother and my grandmother were sisters and I have many fond memories of her mother and my grandmother together and their great stories of growing up. Her mom's name was Florence and what a trip she was. Crazy could only be the tip of the iceberg to describe a lady who had a foot shaped gas pedal in one of her cars. The oldest of 6 kids, she lived until she was 92. Amazing.

So this cousin who has visited before has become a favorite to my children...even worthy of her own nickname..."George-nana". And she is very flattered by this nickname as well. I think that it is a very special person who gets a nickname from a child. This person becomes a focal point in the child's life. In fact when I told Aimee of the news that George-nana was coming to visit for Christmas, she looked at me and said "We haven't seen her in a long time." Which was completely true we had not seen her since July.

So it was a busy day for the girls with bursting through their presents on Christmas morning, going to my in-laws for breakfast and more ripping of wrapping paper. Then home to review the toys Santa left. Nicole napped and Aimee and I went next door to see George-nana, her children, uncle Chris, Nana and Papa. More festivities followed and that was one of the only nights that bedtime went off without a hitch.

To say we are without schedule lately would be an understatement and I am actually looking forward to Monday when daycare reopens and I get to go back to work. Yay! I need some schedule back in my life and the girls clearly need more stimulation than I can give them. Once again I am humbled by full time stay at home mothers. It is tough stuff to be home full time with kids. We only have been home together for two weeks and I am about at the end of my rope. I do think that part of it has to do with all of the new stuff suddenly in front of them. They don't know what to play with first and instantly get upset when a sister picks something that may be of interest to the other sister. A fight ensues and many times punches or hits are thrown. I think the words "time out" have been uttered just as often this week as "I love you". Not fun.

So bring on 2009, lets go back to work, this "vacation" stuff is for the birds.