Have a Hap-Hap-Happy Birthday...

I know it sounds cheesy, but I'm loving how life just gets better. Because it really does. I hope it's a nonstop upward slope and not a bell curve. If it's a bell curve, where's the peak? Come on you elders, 'fess up.

I did give Adrie a present for my birthday - she's been begging for a new crown ever since she fell off the bed and landed on her old one, breaking it. Also, we have become slightly obsessed with the self-portrait around here, having a new Elph camera and all. Here's how we spent birthday morning:

I spent birthday afternoon at work for Parent Conference weekend. Despite my goal to get pictures (I looked really cute and professional, let's just admit it), no pictures. I did, however, take a picture of the bulletin board in the employee lounge that features yours truly this month.

Birthday evening was my self-thrown "mixer"! I invited every single person I know. As in, "single" person. I've decided I'm all about widening my circle of friends, I'm tired of job-interview-like first dates. This night was a success as having fun in a laid back setting. Thanks to Kendall, Josh, and Raquel for helping me host!

We ate, we talked, we remained paranoid about people pinning clothespins on us (looks like Kendall was losing in the pic above, huh!), we played 21 and then started using clothepins for gambling fodder, we watched a Connect 4 tournament, a wild Sorry game, and did I mention food? I played my first ever Wii games, scoring 156 and winning at Bowling with flying colors. The camera got handed around for some random pics... here's a few. Thanks to all for a great birthday!

Birthday Eve

As I think of my impending birthday and how to best spend the day, the only one I reeeeeally want to be with is Adrie.  Isn't that funny?  I wish the weather were warmer, we'd go to the zoo or do something marvelous to remember the day.  I even bought HER a birthday present to open tomorrow.

Here we are today before heading out to lunch.  I guess her birthday present to me is saying "Cheese!" and smiling at the camera, starting today.

Jessie put together an amazing group of neighborhood friends to celebrate lunch at my favorite place - Chilis.  Below is the only picture I have sofar - yup, we took up an entire side of the restaurant between 12 of us and kids.  It was a little chaotic and fun.

After work we hit up Wal Mart - Adrie loves "games" and I was looking for Aggravation, but settled for Connect 4 as my birthday present to myself.  She spent all evening lining up her "money."  She's preparing to battle Natalie next week :)

   

Now I'll spend the rest of the evening madly preparing a very professional presentation for Parent Conference at work (Yup, I get to work Friday and Saturday of birthday weekend.)  As much as I gripe, I sort of love it.

P.S. - Tara!  You win!  Does that mean now you HAVE to come to the Portland wedding so I can do your family shoot too!?  :)

I caved.

Let it be known that on March 26th at 11:15 am, Costco got me.

"Just diapers. Diapers and wipes" I thought to myself.

Until we saw the Easy Mac placed in Costco's entryway aisle of temptations.

Adrie begged.

I found myself thinking of how simple it would be for feeding my picky, picky two year old who honestly drinks warm milk after not eating much of dinner to fill herself up at least 4 nights per week.

SO, add a #10 can of Queso dip, a box of Fiber One muffins (health kick, remember!?), chips to go with the dip (for the party, okay?) and a tub of Red Vines. (For the party! I don't even like them!!!)

$103.61 and I'm back in the game.

Sort of.

Because I still gotta LOTTA food storage to eat. And I will.

You just have NO idea

I wish I could write down every single thing out of her mouth.  I'm not kidding.  Every stinking thing.  Humor me with this weekend's best:

Adrie:  "Grandma Peay" [from our sitter] "gave me a new necklace!  It's from her treasure box.  I'm gonna get married in it."

On the way home in the car I could see her fingering it reverently and thinking hard.  Reeallly hard.  Without looking at me, as she somberly says:

"I'm gonna marry Koku.  In this necklace.  And my Dad's gonna make a rainbow."

 +  +   

Life is at one of those amazing stages - especially with Adrie - where I want to freeze time and relish every second.  She's been snuggly lately, and our morning routine (when I'm not racing to work) is to get a warm sippy of milk and snuggle in "mom's bed" while she drinks it and we talk.  She's finally more interested in what I'm doing than in movies.  She loves to be where I am, and especially loves to "help" with what I'm doing.  So I get to devise clever ways to let her think she's "helping".  Her latest is to play in the dried beans like a sandbox.

Every moment is sweet.  Below we have 

1) her "strawberry tower" (she now fights me on sitting in her booster seat, but doesn't 'get' the concept of keeping food on your plate)

2) Last Sunday snuggling with Kendall and Josh

3) This morning teaching her the self-portrait.  She carries my little Elph around if I let her.

  
One thing I love about living in Utah is having family nearby.  Last Sunday G&G popped in for a visit and we ate an entire batch of flap jacks.  Mmmmm.  I love the pic of Kenna & Grandpa's fee in the middle.
  

In other news, since this suffices as my journal for now, it's on to round 3 of accutane for me.

  That puts me in the lucky (unlucky?) miniscule percentage of people that accutane didn't work for the 1st time (2000), even more miniscule chance it didn't work the 2nd time (2002), so cross your fingers 2009 is my year. :)  The side effects are unbelievable - I could dedicate a blog to that, but I won't gross you out.  Let's just say I now have 5 types of lotion in my bathroom, goop up the inside of my nose at night, and currently have chemical-burn-like-raised-rashes all up and down my arms (because I skipped lotioning yesterday.)  It will be worth it, right? 

Corduroy

Remember this book?  A classic as I grew up that I couldn't resist at Borders a few months ago (despite the $9.99 price tag for a soft cover book!?).  It has become one of Adrie's standard night time stories.

Well, tonight the very last thing she said as I placed her teddy bear by her chin (night time routine, you know) was "This is Corduroy!  and I am Lisa!" I laughed and then she shocked me by giving that bear a big squeeze and saying 

"YOU are my VERY - OWN - BEAR!"

If my heart grows any bigger I don't think I'll be able to contain it inside of me any longer :).

As for me, since I do have a life outside this beautiful daughter of mine:

• I ate enough junk food at work to compensate for my grocery store temptations.
  
• I also started the "Biggest Loser" competition at work - my team consists of 3 other huge guys, so I've got to carry my weight!
  
• Therefore, combine grocery hiatus + diet = I am gonna go forever without shopping again.  Awww yeah.
• I am throwing my own birthday mixer.  If you are (a) local and (b) looking to expand your circle of friends, you are officially invited.
  
• I am mentoring with a photographer I blog-stalk (Jess Kettle - see here!) and I'm really excited.

Life is GOOD!

Yet another Adrie update - and round 2 with the camera

This girl does new things every single day, and I NEED to document all the things swirling around in my head before she's 24 years old and I forget them all:

• She's been singing "You don't never know..." (from Colors of the Wind)
• She realized that we have about 10 good movies at our house, and she now watches a different one at each sitting (Cinderella, Pocahontas, Barbie and the Nutcracker, the Lion King, and the Swan Princess are in the top categories this week. She also sat through all of Snow White the first time.)
• She continues to say "I'm gonna get married. In the temple. But I need to get bigger first. In a white dress. With married flowers. And a married ring!"
• With church songs and lullabies at night she requests "Odette's song," "the Colors song" and "Cinderella's song."
• She is really curious about directions, and extremely accurate about where we are. For example, any non-babysitter time we get off on 1600 North she starts a panic "We're not going to Tanner's house!? We're not going to Tanner's house?!!!" She knows when "We're almost home!" and "My Dad's house is that way," "The Church is that way" and more!
• She's become a big climber lately - I walked into the front room to find my dining room chandelier swinging even though she knew enough to get down before I appeared. She climbs all over the couches and asks me if she can sit on the end tables.
• For the curious girl she is, I am SO LUCKY she really doesn't "get into" things. She'll find something she knows she's not supposed to have (like a box of candy) and eat maybe one until she brings it to me.
• She's started the "Pleeeeease! Puh-leeeeeeeazzzze!" I will admit I am not immune to this tactic :)

Here she stood saying "Let us in! The gates are locked! Oh no!"

I almost caved

Those Double Stuff Oreos were sitting in my cart next to the milk (two gallons again) and bananas alllll the way to the checkout line.

Only the fact they weren't true Spring Oreos saved me.

But tomorrow I just might give in... We shall see who wins!

Oh my Adrie

Here is Adrie contemplating her sucker in tonight's photo shoot, trying to decide if the bribery is worth it:

I don't know what it is about this girl... but she just WILL NOT LOOK AT ME and it drives me a little bit nuts.  Oh well.  Here's what we got tonight with my new camera.  I'm a little overwhelmed with the upgrade but once I can finally get the hang of it I'll be oh-so-happy.

I'm loving the crisp images, even with my tendency to overexpose.  

After a cloudy evening, the sun peeped through for one final goodbye as Adrie sat herself in "time out" - yes, she asked for it - she was in trouble for running away.  Far, far away.  Any suggestions on how to get her to "Stop!" and "Come back!" ?  This here "Mean Mom" would love any advice :)

Sigh.  Isn't she a doll?  I sort of want to go wake her up and snuggle her after looking at her gorgeous photos.  I am a lucky mom.

Mmmmmmm....

I just might give my right arm for some Spring Oreos right now. And I have none in my food storage.

Quick, help me think about something else. :)

Confessions of a twenty-something drama wannabe

• Sometimes 30 minutes with my ipod is more soothing than 30 minutes of scriptures.
  
• 30 minutes with ipod + elliptical is definitely more effective than scriptures.
  
• Lest you think I've gone to the dark side, I still study 20-30 min/day.  
  
• I let Adrie eat microwave popcorn for dinner tonight.
  
• I spent my economic stimulus money already.  But Obama can fix that.
  
• I watched an entire season of Grey's Anatomy in 5 days.  
  
• That's more tv than I watched in 2008.
  
• For those of you thinking about my vow of "I'm taking the higher road and not watching that trashy show anymore" (see link here), I apologize.  I caved.  This draining week made me do it.  Back to abstaining... until season 5 comes on dvd.
  
• I started sleeping upside down on my mattress rather than rotate it.  It's actually pretty fun.  I like having my head in the center of the room.  Very feng shui.
  
• I did make peanut butter cookies correctly this time.
• I've eaten half the batch sofar.  The rest of the dough is in the fridge for my next craving.
• It was pretty darn difficult to walk through Albertsons on a mission for milk and bananas.  I kept chanting to myself "milk and bananas, milk and bananas" as I passed those delicious Reese's easter eggs.
  
• I am out of Cokes (the full-calorie, caffeine-free kind) and it just might be the thing that makes me cave on this shopping hiatus.  But not yet.  I will prevail.
  
• What else is tempting me:  Easy foods for Adrie like string cheese and hot dogs and juiceboxes.  And when I run out of sugared cereals.  But I'm surviving.  Until that dang Coke gets me.  Coke is the new Orange Fanta, didn't you hear?
  

Lastly, you can thank iphone for this entertainment:  (the curlers are her "train").

  

Just THAT kind of week

To celebrate my survival of this stressful week, I came home to make peanut butter cookies which I've been craving for two days.  Warm, soft and crumbly cinnamon-sugar-covered goodness with a tall glass of milk... Mmmmm.

It wasn't until after baking two full pans and wondering why the heck they seemed... different?.... that I realized this:  I forgot to add the peanut butter.  

Hello weekend, I really need you.

March Madness - are you IN?

With the beginning of this new month, I have decided something:

I am giving up grocery shopping.

Why? you may ask.  

Welllll... when you have a pantry that looks like this:

And you do the math of

1 adult with a sporadic appetite + a 2 year old who subsists on leftover Halloween candy and warm milk = 

No one to eat the zillion cans of food that were "best by 2008".

Why else?  

• Someday I might, just might move from this house and I don't want to bring 400 pounds of food with me [again].  
  
• I'm saving every single penny for new photography equipment.  
  
• Currently, grocery store trips = 85% junk food, and I'm trying to eat healthier.  (I think the two flats of French green beans that were best by 09/2008 will help with that.)
  
• It's something to do.  And I like a challenge.
  

SO!  Do you want in on the fun?  I know you do.  Hazard a guess at when Alaina will give in and buy a real item of food at the store (exceptions are listed below in the details).  The winner will receive a family/individual/couple photo shoot, or some other grand prize if you don't want a shoot/you're too far away/too ugly etc.  Leave your date in the comments.  I will compile them on March 10th (voting deadline) and then not look at them again until the day I give in, so as not to sway the preceise date of my cave-in.  Closest date wins.

Details:

1.  I am allowed to buy milk, eggs, cheese/sour cream, and bread (which I never buy, but might have to in order to make a dent in the 5 jars of peanut butter.)

2.  I can buy meat (ground beef and chicken) ONLY for cooking with other ingredients already in my pantry.  (read:  no roast beef dinners, no grilled chicken alone, etc.)

3.  I can buy fresh fruits & vegetables (which if you know me at all, you know these aren't ever something I crave.)

4.  FYI:  Mon-Thurs I eat lunch free at work.  So I am gettin' some variety there.  Just a heads up for your calculations.

5.  My frequency of eating out will not increase - so maybe once a week I buy a chalupa or Wendy's chili, etc - I'm a cheapskate.

There's no real science to how this equation is going to pan out... it's a toss-up between my appetite boredom & how quickly I run out of the most edible ingredients :)  

Lastly, for your entertainment, a shot of the 9 open boxes of cereal on my top shelf (with 10 unopened boxes hiding behind them)....