My step sister Sarah texted me this pic Saturday night:
My response: “It must have been VERY nice and VERY expensive!”
Peter’s response: “Seriously. 1 Beth is PLENTY.”
It’s nice to know you’re loved….
Tag: mom
T-Town Bound
We made a quick trip to Tucson this weekend and had a ball. Normally I am opposed to overnight trips – they’re just too much work. Packing up the kiddo’s stuff, bedding and “just in case” supplies is a pain in itself, but I have to find someone to check in on the BearMeister, pack myself and PW…it’s just a lot of work for 24 hours. Not to mention that this weekend we had stuff scheduled on both Saturday and Sunday so we were litterally zipping in and out of town. But to my big surprise, it all went very smooth and was a ton of fun!
We arrived with enough time before dinner to walk around campus. It was so much fun to see The Phi, Peter’s fraternity house (which is currently being occupied by another fraternity and caused PW to hold back a few swear words), buildings that we each attended classes in, our favorite resturants, our respective dorms…the list goes on. It was amazing to think back and realized how much life has changed in the last *cough* eight years since we graduated. The campus has changed so much, yet all the amazing memories are still there. It’s even more fun that PW and I were there together so it wasn’t me showing him, but rather getting to tell each other our favorite memories. At one point Baylor sighed and asked when we were going back to the “HO-teeeellll”. Apparently memory lane was not as exciting for her.
Ah The Phi. I lived in the window right above the “Alpha Phi”
Next we were off to dinner with the family I babysat for while at UofA. It’s scary to think that Madi is now graduating high school and headed off to college herself! Amazing how she’s grown and I haven’t aged a day…to say that it’s wonderful to catch up with the L family is an understatement. They are truly amazing people and even when we haven’t seen each other in years, it’s like we just talked yesterday. Dinner was at one of our collective favorites: Rosa’s. I had forgotten how amazing the refried beans are and I said a little prayer of thanks that the morning sickness has passed so I could enjoy every stinking last bite of my enchilada and tacos!
After dinner it was the UofA baseball game – PW’s reason for planning the trip. The team has moved off campus to Hi Corbett Field which turned out to be awesome. The stadium was packed, they served beer and there was a jump house, what more could you ask for? Oh yeah, a win! We got that too.
Pretty sunset
We had to teach Baylor not to cheer for the other team. She broke out her signature “dirty look” instead.
PW and BW
The Super Moon! The camera phone didn’t do it justice.
We headed back to the “ho-teelll” after it was looking promising that the Cats would pull off the win. We were impressed with The Lodge on the Desert. It was close to the hotel and campus, full remodeled and a nice price. Bay was excited to try out her new Pea Pod sleep tent and it went swimmingly. If you have any traveling to do with a toddler soon (especially one that sleeps in a crib but has out grown a pack and play) then I highly recommend the tent. It has an air mattress, is one piece that folds flat and doubles as a play area. It was perfect way to divide a room for her and us so we could do crazy stuff like brush our teeth and watch TV without waking her up!
We’re already talking about another slightly longer trip later this summer to one of the resorts. Sure there are two world famous resort just down the street, but there’s something about getting out of town, visiting places you haven’t been to in years and a long drive that make a trip even better.
Ready for MNO?
Scottsdale Moms Blog Mom’s Night Out is this week! If you haven’t bought your ticket yet there’s still time – but hurry! This is shaping up to be another fun evening so quick quick! Get your tickets!
Chalk It Up
If you loooove chalkboard paint like I loooove chalkboard paint, then you want to read my Scottsdale Moms Blog post today. Three fun ways to use the stuff – and be sure to register for Mom’s Night Out next week!
http://www.scottsdalemomsblog.com/2012/05/04/chalk-it-up-3-ways-to-use-chalkboard-paint/
SignUpGenius.com
If you have kids at school, an overly excited social committee at work or one too many soccer tournaments to count, then you need Sign Up Genius.
I was introduced to this lovely website by the more experienced room moms at Baylor’s school. It’s a virtual sign up sheet – you can add not only items, but dates and times of what you would like people to bring . Or dates, times and activities to volunteer for. The best part (in my book) is when you sign up for something, it emails you a confirmation and then a reminder 2 days before the event. In the world of constant snack days, parties, teacher appreciation week and ice cream socials, this is a life saver. Not to mention neat, easy to use an accessible at all times of the day rather than just at the craziness that is pick up and drop off.
So next time you’re in charge of an event (or even if you’re not in charge, make whoever is use this!) check out the site and see how quickly those much needed items get checked off your list!
Suggestive Literature
I have a problem. I am very totally and completely influenced by Baylor’s book Curious George Visits the Chocolate Factory. I can’t read it without craving a big box of chocolates. I can feel myself starting to drool when reading the descriptions of each type of chocolate. I can smell the sweet smell when George sneaks into the candy room. Nothing else will stop the craving, it has to be a box of chocolates. Particularly See’s Candies…which is why I stood in their store last week and happily hand-picked each one of these little beauties…what? I can’t drink the bottle of wine I really really want, why not substitute with candy?
I wish I was as influenced by the tales of George’s other adventures….but unfortunatly despite reading and rereading and reading again Curious George and the Hot Air Balloon Race and Curious George and the Dinosaur Dig I have no desire to become an archaeologist nor hop in a balloon. Maybe if George wrote Curious George Finally Writes the Whitty Memior He’s been Dreaming About Despite Having Two Kids, Running a Business and Trying to Stay on the Acceptable Side of Sanity it would have the same effect as the damn chocolate factory story. AND my butt wouldn’t get so fat so that would be nice too.
Bar Hopping with the Iphone
Today’s post is brought to you by the one and only Noni. That’s right, Big Jude, my mom is the guest blogger today. She didn’t intend it, but when she sent me the following email, I knew it was perfect fodder for The Goon Room. So grab a drink and toast the 55+ crowd and their salute to the Iphone. Her quote about what kind of Iphone she has is my favorite – enjoy and thanks Nonester!
Yesterday I found the perfect place for a bar—next to the Apple store at Biltmore Mall.
Went to the Apple Store to have my Iphone checked out—you make the appointment on line (of Course) once you figure out how to move the page far enough down to let you see everything because of course you use the larger print on the computer than the under 30’s. Then you book the appointment at the genius bar and you become hopeful—like maybe the Iphone can be fixed and no longer run down to dead battery every 4 hours, maybe it will finally connect to WIFI and that damn Siri will quit asking how she can help and when you tell her she just says—I’m busy now.
So off I go —a little early cause afterall they’re doing me this great service and I arrive –the store is a large loud box—all hard surfaces so everything is alive and moving—the tables are lined with goodies—Iphones, Ipads, computers, TV’s and there are no signs because cyber people know where to go because Siri told them….me unfortunately had that deer in the headlite look in my eye and I clutched my Iphone hoping somehow it would communicate with the mother ship and let her know I had arrived!
Everyone in the store that is a customer is an average age of 55+ (I’m being nice) and everyone working there is 19+ (again kindness). I wanted to fit in so I thought I would look at an extra plug for my Iphone—make nice kinda—a perky young thing pounced on me and offered help—What kind of Iphone do you have—well I was ready–“White”! She saw the little darling under my arm and snatched it up and announced —Just an Iphone! Ok, I’m learning…..then she asks if I would like to check myself out—frankly I just got here and was hoping to check myself in—so I decline and she says ok—do you want me to email your receipt or do you want a paper receipt—well I figured she didn’t know my email so I say paper—only to find out they don’t have paper—so I said skip the receipt—I’m really here for trouble shooting.
Three very nice young people checked their tiny little wireless computers and saw I was indeed a “scheduled guest” for the genius bar!! One of them drew the short straw and suggested I “take a load off”—now seriously at my age and backside don’t ever use the word “load” in the same sentence with my name…..so I continued to stare into the vast array of things flashing, happening, and doing. Finally a nice young man who only spoke Japanese appeared and announced he was there to help. He asked me several questions with that thick Japanese broken English to which I politely replied “What???” and then he suggested a Reset was in store—so I handed over the Iphone and he proceeded to wipe it out as I watched and asked me to hold it for 5 minutes—I think this is similar to how the doctors let you visit with the sick family member before they pull the plug. He pulled the plug and handed it back and said—if that didn’t fix it reschedule another appointment—so I walked out shell shocked realizing I had just lost all the phone numbers, my email, and my 3 new audio books and as I drove home in the quiet I realized a martini bar next to that store would have a steady flow of people (55+) all day long!!! Anyone up for investing?
Getting some practice in on the couz’
The DD
I have a theory about being pregnant and those around me drinking. My theory is this: I obviously can’t drink, so why wouldn’t I be the designated driver? And why wouldn’t I be the DD for as many friends as possible? Really, just because I can’t enjoy many many many glasses of wine, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t and have someone to drive you home safely and mostly for free.
I say mostly not because I would charge people for my taxi services – I learned my lesson charging for driving servicse one night in college. My parent’s asked me if I would drive them and their friends to and from dinner. I agreed, but for a price. And because my mother is far more devious than I am, they made me wear a chauffeur hat, all sat in the back seats and instructed me to “not turn around”. Major backfire.
I wouldn’t volunteer to drive and then collect actual dollar bills…I say mostly because I do expect reciprocity. And I do keep track. If I drive a group of friends to dinner as the DD, in about 5-6 months, I will be calling them to go to dinner and I will expect them to drive, no questions asked.
PW gets the worst of it. And this time around he’s much more aware of his tab. With Baylor, my sobriety lasted a little longer than the standard gestation of a baby for breast feeding, severe sleep deprivation and because it took awhile to get back into my skinny jeans and my drinking shoes (who’s a lightweight? me!). Therefore his tenure as non negotiable designated driver lasted close to a year. Which is why this time, he is keeping a much closer eye on his tally.
Things One Should Never Say to a Pregnant Lady (and my responses)
“OH! Don’t you LOVE being pregnant??”
~While the end result is worth it, no, pregnancy is not top on my list of awesome things to do. Weeks of feeling like everything, including my hairstyle, is going to make me throw up – no wine – uncomfortable belly – yeah, it’s a real thrill ride.
“Get lots of sleep while you can!”
~First of all, shut up. Second, I’m what you call a belly sleeper and do you know what you can’t do when you’re pregnant? That’s right, sleep on your stomach. I spend all night thinking about how I could totally be asleep if I could just get a few minutes on my anterior.
“You look so tiny? Are you sure the baby is ok?” This is an actual question someone asked me with Baylor
~What in the world would make you feel that that was an appropriate question to ask?? Your head looks a little deformed, is everything ok with your brain?
“You don’t really look pregnant, you just look like you have a belly.”
~This is a quote from my mother. When I responded with “is that some kind of complement?? Gee, you don’t look pregnant, just fat!!” she fell apart laughing realizing how horrible it sounded and then admitted, yes, that was what she meant. Thank goodness I share her sick sense of humor.
The Goon Room 