Category: Uncategorized

The following is an open letter to my cousin and co-blogger, Emily.

Dear Cousin,

For the LIFE OF ME, I cannot figure out WHY you and that bearded cradle-robber you married don’t want to know the sex of your unborn child. I mean, SERIOUSLY. This is 2007! (Isn’t it? I don’t know, I haven’t had a lot of sleep lately, the details are a bit fuzzy…)

Anyhoo, I KNOW the ultrasound was yesterday and I KNOW you didn’t find out, but cousin, I beseech you, call that ultrasound tech and tell her you changed your mind and you want to know! And if you and Andy can’t do it for yourselves, DO IT FOR ME!

I mean, you owe me, cousin. Think about it. Remember when you were supposed to be my roommate at Asbury College but you totally left me hanging and went to this craphole instead? And I was a roommate-less loser and had to room with the colon-cleanser-abusing exercise addict whose microwave veggie burgers constantly stunk up our room? It was horrible! You owe me, cousin! And what about the time I got you an interview at that place we used to work together? Then you got the job and we had so much fun! Of course it turned out to be the worst place to work ever, but HEY – it got you started and you’ve been movin’ on up the envelope-stuffing corporate ladder ever since! If it weren’t for me you might be bagging at the IGA! THINK ABOUT THAT!

I suffered through your first pregnancy not knowing what gender baby you were gonna pop out, and I just don’t know if I can stand the suspense this time. I might DIE. Seriously. Do you want that on your head?

Just find out and whisper it in my ear! It’ll be our little secret! Plleeeeeeaaasseeeeee!

Love,
Pashoo

P.S. Told you I was feeling snarky.
P.P.S. We kicked NaBloPoMo’s butt! Yay us!

Yesterday it rained steadily allllll daaaaaaaaaaaay. And it was cold. And yucky. And dark. And I hated it. It was my hubby’s bday, and I could not pull myself out of my weather-induced funk. I was feeling, as Joshua would say, BLAG. I just checked the forecast for today and it looks like it’s at least going to be sunny at times, which is great, because yesterday’s darkness really had me depressed. It just made the messes in our house look messier, the housework seem insurmountable, and I swear it somehow amplified Joshua’s whining tenfold!

Running errands with two kids in the pouring rain is, as I am sure many of you know, soooo much fun, but unfortunately we had a couple of stops we HAD to make after being out of town for a few days. Our driveway and the drug store parking lots had tons of puddles. Having not yet bought proper winter shoes, I was still wearing my Lands End Trellos and my feet got quite wet. I have no coat with a hood. I couldn’t find an umbrella. By the time we got hopme I was a soggy, grumpy, irritable MESS, and by the time we left to go out to dinner with friends for Bobby’s birthday, I was ready to throw the kids out of the car as we drove by my parent’s house! UGH! I hate feeling this way.

Perhaps my unpreparedness for this weather is really a form of denial. I am just not ready for it to be dark and cold by 5:30 PM . I’m not ready for the twenty-minute long coat-hat-and-gloving ritual that must take place before one can leave the house with two children. So, I’ve decided, I’m gonna make like a bear and hibernate. I’m gonna binge-eat really hard for the next couple weeks, and then just sleep ’til the end of March. Just think of all the money I’ll save if I just skip Christmas! I’ll emerge from my slumber thin, well-rested, and just in time to see Emily pop out another baby. I won’t have to spend the winter months wondering what the HELL the sex of said baby is either, which will be a relief.

So, yes. Hibernation it is. See you all in 4 months!

Hola amigos! As Emily mentioned, I’ve been away for a few days, spending Thanksgiving with my parents at their house in Virginia (not West Virginia, Em, get it right! Geez my Dad is offended.) My crazy creative parents built said house on top of a mountain, and although it’s beautiful, there’s not a whole lot to do there, so you better love the ones you’re with. Fortunately, none of us there had a problem in that area! It was a really fun, relaxing time. It was so good for Bobby and I to spend time together with the kids, and nice to have my parents and my Grandma around to help out! I even got a couple of naps, which were faaaabulous (and convenient since Sophie didn’t sleep well away from home.)

The thing I like best about being atop the ol’ mountain, though, is that life just really slows down. There really isn’t anything much to do when the weather is cold, so we all sat around and read, played games, and napped. They only have (archaically slow) dial-up internet there, so there was no time for me to obsessively blog or check my StatCounter. They don’t have cable, or even TV reception, so we couldn’t all sit in front of the tube like zombies (although they do have a DVD player so Mom forced us to watch a horrific Hallmark Hall of Fame movie one night. And March of the Penguins. Have you seen that? I am SO GLAD I AM NOT A PENGUIN!!!)

Anyhoo, my point is, it was really nice to slow down and just enjoy each other. I let myself get so busy and stressed here at home trying to stay on top of the housework and the cooking and taking care of the kiddos – I get so wound up sometimes that I forget to just enjoy my family and be thankful for all that I have. And up on the mountain, that’s just what we all did. Hopefully through the rest of the holiday season I won’t forget to stop and slow things down a bit when I have the chance.

And since I have the floor here, I do want to take a chance to say a very special HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY to my darling hubby. Welcome to the awesome club, baby! I love you!