Saturday, January 31, 2009

an interview

Q: So Alanna, what's been going on this week?
A: On Tues night I was ill; so ill I was convinced that the Quaker Man had lied about the origins of his peanuts, and I had been duped into consuming salmonella pb bites. But on Fri, J came down with the icky-sickies too. So rest assured people, the Quaker Man is still safe.

Q: How is it being sick and being a mom?
A: It sucks royally. But here's the amazing thing - as I was hugging the toilet, my mom was heading here to spend a night on her way back from a trip to Cinci. And then, because we got a ton of snow on Tues night, she was stuck here until Thurs morning. So my mom gave me the prefect opportunity to actually get some rest and get well. Thanks mom!

Q: Did G get sick?
A: Thankfully - no. One would assume that a nursing child would just get whatever his momma has, but not my little Viking!

Q: How about your mom?
A: Unfortunately Mom did become ill - last night it hit her. And that sucks even more because today she and my dad drove to Folk School. But she's a trooper so everything will be alright. I just feel bad that I infected her (and probably dad, too) right before their trip.

Q: What else is going on?
A: Lots! We'll start with G - he's a walker now! He started taking a few steps on Jan 2, and in the last two weeks he's been practicing his Frankenstein-walk. He's so determined (totally gets that from J) and so super-cute (I would take credit for that, but he looks just like J).

Q: What have you been up to?
A: I've been making decisions. I've decided to retire from Mary Kay. I still have a ton of fresh inventory on my shelves, so please continue to order, but I've decided not to replenish my stock as I sell. I'm not saying I won't go back to being a consultant in a few years, I'm just taking a break for now :)

Q: What will you be replacing MK with?
A: Something even more fun! I'm reorganizing my office and turning it into a craft studio because I've decided to open my very own Etsy shop! I'm busy working on a few crafty bits and planning a name and theme for my shop. My current stumbling block is that I don't have a camera. I might have dropped it while taking a self portrait. It's currently being fixed, and it's okay with me if they send it back ASAP!

Q: Anything else?
A: I still really want to get into interior design. I'm trying to decide if I should get a degree first or just jump in. Right now I've got two "clients" that I'm working with - they're both friends, but they asked me to help them, and both offered to pay (I won't let them, though). I figure it's a start, and I can gauge my real interest level based on how these projects go.

And now I'm going to play wii with J :)

Monday, January 26, 2009

it's a goat

Because of Danielle, I had one goal today:

Get this Hamfatter Award thingamajig posted before anyone else.

To quote Miss D "The story behind the award goes something like this: Andrea decided to contemplate on where blog awards came from. Her sister said they were made up. So Andrea decided to make one up, and well, the rest is history because this is what she found out: The word 'ham' originated in the early 1880s from a song called The Hamfat Man. It was a black minstrel song about an awkward man. After that, people would use the term hamfatter when someone was trying too hard to be funny and not succeeding. That was ultimately shortened to the word ham. So she made an award featuring her goat Joe."

And here it is:


I'm flattered because:
a)It's a major award!
b)It features a goat.

But, there are strings attached. The recipient must:

1. Blog about the Hamfatter award and tell where the name came from.
2. Post the Hamfatter Award Proudly on your blog!
3. Pick 5 blogs that just make you laugh and link to them in your post!
4. Link back to the person who gave you this hilarious Hamfatter Award!
5. Let your blogger friends know they were awarded a little something!

I hereby recognize AJ, McMommy, Tena, April, and Lamb the newest class of Hamfatters. Congratulations! May your goats serve you well. Maaahhh!!!

Now if I were just smart enough to figure out how to stick this on my sidebar...

Friday, January 23, 2009

out of hiding

Today is sunny!
Today is not as cold as it has been!
I just opened all of the drapes!

Oh man, I seriously need to dust.

:/

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

randomness

*Lately captcha has been making me laugh. I like to make up my own definitions for the nonsense words. For example: trogedi: major train wreck that you just can't help but watch. "Have you been keeping tabs on Brit? Major trogedi."

*I bought a bag of caramels at the grocery store. Total mistake.

*I made the world's best sliders for dinner last night.

*My friends Al and Dawn just welcomed their fourth child - a boy :) He was delivered, by Al, in the front seat of their brand new minivan just after he pulled under the ER canopy. The ER nurse arrived after the baby came. It was 4 degrees outside. The hospital showed Al the security camera footage of the minivan barreling along the ice, on two wheels, and in the wrong direction up to the ER entrance. Dawn and I joked at the beginning of her pregnancy that this would happen based on her previous deliveries, and yet, I still can't believe it actually happened.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

finally posting about christmas

Christmas this year was long. It was great, but there are some things I'd like to do differently next year (I guess it's already next year, but you know). We drove to the Muskegon on Mon afternoon. G was actually pretty content for the whole ride (there was some crying, but not too much).

Tues we hung out at my in-law's, went to Meijer (oh exciting) and I helped my MIL wrap some presents and cut out a few cookies. And we played Rock Band 2 (we brought it with us because we are addicted, it's sick really). Wed was Christmas Eve so we headed to Viking's for a drink and then to J's Aunt's for the family party and had a lot of fun :) On Christmas Day we headed to Grandma's after opening presents and playing more RB (really sick), ate, and then trucked over to Troy.

We got into town and pretty much headed right over to Merissa's for her White Elephant Party (I got a Kwanzaa doll) and to see my girls :) On Fri we opened presents at my parent's and went to my Aunt Peggy's for another Christmas dinner. Sat my Aunt Dee and Cousin Kathy and her kiddos came to my parent's and we had another big meal (although that was mostly leftovers, and fudge, lots of fudge). That night we played more RB (noticing a theme?), some rumikub and just chilled at home. J and I had big plans to head to GLI, but with the game being so early we couldn't figure out the logistics and we were kind of tired so we opted out. We'll be extra ready for next year!

Sun we said goodbye to my brother Mason and his dog Coda and girlfriend Tara - they started their long drive to Portland (they should get in tomorrow- fingers crossed!). And then we got ready to head home. On Mon we opened our presents at home and were able to relax. Whew, I'm tired just writing that out.

edit - I wrote this on New Year's Day. Sometimes you look at what you've written and it's awful, but you still push "publish post." Also, Mason, Tara and Coda arrived safely in Portland - and my mom managed to not have a coronary while they were on the road :)

christmas pictures


With Santa on Christmas Eve


The Girls and JJ :)


Baby's First Squirrel


OMG! It's a new car!


Rocked Out Baby
He actually fell asleep like that, and yes I WAS singing.


Our Family Band
We Play Bar Mitzvahs!


My very own remote!

i'm so over it

Things I am So Over today:

Static
I used the morning nap time to straighten my hair, is it too much to ask that it actually look nice when I am done? "Just run a hanger over it." Not in this house. Mommy dearest (that's me!) has a strict no-wire-hangers policy. So I'm rocking a sweet plastic barrette (lame).

True Beauty
I had high hopes for this show. Loved how ridiculous the first show was. Made it through the second show. Started the third show, deleted it from the DVR before it was done and removed the timer. Sorry A. Kutch, I just couldn't stomach it.

New Soap Pumps
The new stainless steel soap pumps are rusting. ! They are STAINLESS STEEL. Furthermore, shouldn't they have been designed to withstand the harshness of...hand soap?

Jon and Kate Plus Eight
At first I loved this show. I wanted to smooch and squeeze all of the kids. I could see my relationship with J in Kate and Jon's relationship (although I believe I am not as crazy as Kate). Now I can't stand them. You know it's over when there are 28 new episodes waiting on the DVR and you have no desire to watch them. Maybe it's the constant commercials on TLC, with that annoying song in the background - It's a beautiful day... SHUT UP! Maybe it was the totally self indulgent "Wedding?" Maybe it's the never ending season? I'm pretty sure the Little People season started and ended during the J & K season. I don't know. Another timer gone.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

on underpinnings

I am so over my nursing bras.

Last week I had to wear a non-nursing bra because everything else was in the wash. I put it on and was comfortable. I looked in the mirror and had two, separate, breasts. I looked like a real person.

So now I'm hooked (literally).
G is still nursing, but we're down to 3 - 4 times during the day. I can suck it up and unhook my bra a few times a day, besides we've almost eliminated the need to nurse in public places (not like I ever really did a lot of that, but sometimes).

Now I need to plan a shopping trip - there's nothing I love more than new pretty bras!

PS- Christmas was great, post is coming. Can't quite figure out how to organize it...
PPS- new stuff in the works (don't get too excited)