ally's giggle...
the smell of breakfast cooking and coffee brewing...
a warm hug from hubby...
petting koda and logan's fur...
knowing what you are having for dinner...
bright sunshine and a warm breeze...
the smell of fresh cut grass...
DVR (b/c i haven't watched grey's season finale yet-shhh!)...
tickets to see Sex and the City friday night with karyn...
and last but not least...
the pens winning game 3 last night!
in a day full of chaos and havoc...i can always find time to appreciate the little things in life.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
thankful
we have had the sheer pleasure of enjoying a wonderful vacation in new york visiting friends and family. i have some pics to share later, but i wanted to be thankful for the beautiful weather we were blessed with all weekend...it was bright and sunny unlike the 2 weeks worth of cold, rainy, grey days. of course koda and logan have been enjoying the healthy green grass and trees with shade in my mother-in-law's beautiful yard, they may just want to be left behind because they have been able to freely enjoy the outdoors again. unlike home when they have been cooped indoors due to apartment house living and bad weather.
of course ally has been eating up all the attention as well. she has slept the last 4 nights in a big girl bed, i guess she is ready for bigger and better. it is furniture shopping time for us! all that worrying for nothing!
we will be back home by wednesday...i will return emails and phone calls after my interview on thursday. this interview is for slippery rock again...hopefully i will know more about the public school positions soon. this stuff really takes time and patience.
i hope everyone was able to enjoy the long weekend and all the great barbecue food!
of course ally has been eating up all the attention as well. she has slept the last 4 nights in a big girl bed, i guess she is ready for bigger and better. it is furniture shopping time for us! all that worrying for nothing!
we will be back home by wednesday...i will return emails and phone calls after my interview on thursday. this interview is for slippery rock again...hopefully i will know more about the public school positions soon. this stuff really takes time and patience.
i hope everyone was able to enjoy the long weekend and all the great barbecue food!
Friday, May 23, 2008
god's pharmacy
i found something in my email i wanted to share with you. the health teacher in me made me do it. bare with me if you have seen this before...
God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body!
God's Pharmacy
A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.
A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows & amp; lt; tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.
Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.
A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left a nd right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.
Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.
Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically t arget bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.
Avocados, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied a n d named about 141 of them).
Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.
Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.
Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries
Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.
Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate was t e materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.
God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body!
God's Pharmacy
A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.
A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows & amp; lt; tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.
Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.
A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left a nd right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.
Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.
Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically t arget bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.
Avocados, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied a n d named about 141 of them).
Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.
Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.
Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries
Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.
Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate was t e materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
what's up
what's up with this weather???? i swear april was much nicer than may this year! if you're living up north like me, then you are definitely experiencing springtime withdrawl. it makes me miss the south, more than i care to admit. it has been raining for the past two weeks here and the temps have barely grazed 55, it looks as if someone took the grey crayola crayon and went buck wild in the sky with it. it is shear torture to have to put on my winter fleece, not to mention socks and shoes!
today, i decided it was decent enough to TRY washing my car, so after the gym i drove by the carwash. this is the manual kind of carwash where you have to get out and powerwash the bugs off the front and soap up the entire car in a matter of seconds. it is like the GREAT RACE, oh, the pressure! anyways, i was able to complete my carwashing in due time, so i decided it was in need of some vaccuuming (badly in need)as well. i pulled over to the vac area...and what do you know... as i loaded the coins, it started to down pour! i think the steam from my ears made it obvious that i was bit peeved. there i was, all alone, with a running vac in hand and standing in a complete down pour of sorts.
needless to say, i was wet, the car was wet and for the 14th day in a row everything outside was wet as well.
price of the carwash $4
price of the vac $1
seeing me wet with vac in hand PRICELESS
today, i decided it was decent enough to TRY washing my car, so after the gym i drove by the carwash. this is the manual kind of carwash where you have to get out and powerwash the bugs off the front and soap up the entire car in a matter of seconds. it is like the GREAT RACE, oh, the pressure! anyways, i was able to complete my carwashing in due time, so i decided it was in need of some vaccuuming (badly in need)as well. i pulled over to the vac area...and what do you know... as i loaded the coins, it started to down pour! i think the steam from my ears made it obvious that i was bit peeved. there i was, all alone, with a running vac in hand and standing in a complete down pour of sorts.
needless to say, i was wet, the car was wet and for the 14th day in a row everything outside was wet as well.
price of the carwash $4
price of the vac $1
seeing me wet with vac in hand PRICELESS
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
an almost 2 year old's world
i have had the joy of spending more quality time with ally now that i am off for the summer. needless to say, i have been being put to the test lately. not just by her whining phases, fickle ways or ability to ignore me when i mean business either.
more so, about the ways of the world through a toddler's eyes.
so, last night we were playing in the tub with some colored cups...i was spouting off the colors while ally would repeat them like clockwork. green - geen, blue - bue, when all of sudden, ally says...
"no mommy, geen".
i then said, "you mean blue, right?" (clearly the cup was blue, i swear it.)
ally replied, "noooo mommy, geen". "it geen mommy", then she replied with her favorite little toddler expression these days..."mommy, you silly." like i was the toddler and she was the mommy.
all of sudden it hit me...after countless hours from infancy to the present day i have been trying to teach ally about everything in the world there is to know while working hard to expand her knowledge and inevitably she is going to see things in her own way no matter what i say.
even though i failed the toddler color test, i feel quite refreshed in knowing that i may not be alone in this world of toddler-hood after all. i am no longer behind the parenting curve of learning. a revolutionary discovery of sorts...no means yes, shush means louder, sleep means play and green means blue.
to be honest, things would be much easier if these little toddlers would come equipped with a printed manual and a battery pack that you can detach.
note to self: next child, tip nurses.
more so, about the ways of the world through a toddler's eyes.
so, last night we were playing in the tub with some colored cups...i was spouting off the colors while ally would repeat them like clockwork. green - geen, blue - bue, when all of sudden, ally says...
"no mommy, geen".
i then said, "you mean blue, right?" (clearly the cup was blue, i swear it.)
ally replied, "noooo mommy, geen". "it geen mommy", then she replied with her favorite little toddler expression these days..."mommy, you silly." like i was the toddler and she was the mommy.
all of sudden it hit me...after countless hours from infancy to the present day i have been trying to teach ally about everything in the world there is to know while working hard to expand her knowledge and inevitably she is going to see things in her own way no matter what i say.
even though i failed the toddler color test, i feel quite refreshed in knowing that i may not be alone in this world of toddler-hood after all. i am no longer behind the parenting curve of learning. a revolutionary discovery of sorts...no means yes, shush means louder, sleep means play and green means blue.
to be honest, things would be much easier if these little toddlers would come equipped with a printed manual and a battery pack that you can detach.
note to self: next child, tip nurses.
Monday, May 19, 2008
ear follow up...and stuff
this morning ally had her post-op appointment for her ears. so far so good. the tubes are in tact and she did very well on the hearing test. there is a bit of crust (for lack of a better word) encasing the right tube causing a little blockage so i have to put some medicated drops in her right ear for about 10 days to see if it will dissolve on its own. if not, a more evasive method will have to be done by Doc Chi in order to open it up to its full potentional. i will be saying my prayers both day and night that the little tube opens on its own...if not ally will not be the only one crying, i will be too. mostly out of frustration while holding her down so the doc can insert a foreign object down the canal in order to open it...sounds like fun, huh? i think i will recruit keith for this one.
unfortunately, b/c children's hospital was so busy, i missed my dentist appointment this morning to have my cavity filled...i was pretty upset about it - LOL! actually, it was a relief. i wasn't in the mood to be poked and prodded this morning - especially since it was monday. what was i thinking scheduling that today anyways???
it will be a short week as we are leaving for vacation. we are off to new york to visit keith's family and friends. it should be a fun time, as always. the drive will be a little rough, but our plan is to break it up into two days which usually helps. just me, keith, ally, the bears and the open road...ahh.
another hot topic to discuss esp. here in the burgh...how about those pens??? i am telling you pittsburgh is the place to be especially since i moved here -- hahahaha, just kidding. i must say that the last time they competed for the stanley cup was the summer before my senior year in college. i can still remember partying at my old apartment, 1024 washington street. if that place was still standing they would probably still be finding confetti from the night they won! this time around i will have to act more sophisticated, since i am in mom-mode nowadays. if i could just get bronco revved up - then maybe i could let loose! (sorry inside joke for those who know bronco!).
unfortunately, b/c children's hospital was so busy, i missed my dentist appointment this morning to have my cavity filled...i was pretty upset about it - LOL! actually, it was a relief. i wasn't in the mood to be poked and prodded this morning - especially since it was monday. what was i thinking scheduling that today anyways???
it will be a short week as we are leaving for vacation. we are off to new york to visit keith's family and friends. it should be a fun time, as always. the drive will be a little rough, but our plan is to break it up into two days which usually helps. just me, keith, ally, the bears and the open road...ahh.
another hot topic to discuss esp. here in the burgh...how about those pens??? i am telling you pittsburgh is the place to be especially since i moved here -- hahahaha, just kidding. i must say that the last time they competed for the stanley cup was the summer before my senior year in college. i can still remember partying at my old apartment, 1024 washington street. if that place was still standing they would probably still be finding confetti from the night they won! this time around i will have to act more sophisticated, since i am in mom-mode nowadays. if i could just get bronco revved up - then maybe i could let loose! (sorry inside joke for those who know bronco!).
Sunday, May 18, 2008
nonni
this is one of my favorite pictures ever...ally so innocently taking a quick snooze in the comfort of my grandmom, her nonni
a recent pic of my angel and me at my parents
Saturday, May 17, 2008
a note for gram and a new CD from Jen
happy belated birthday gram r.! i hope you got my present yesterday on your official birthday and you enjoyed another year of happiness and joy! we sure do miss you now that you have moved to florida, which made your visit this spring all that more speical. we look forward to seeing you again soon.
jen - thanks so much for yet another GREAT cd mix! it was like christmas in may when i opened my mailbox to find your package! the cd's are perfect for my long drives to work and for just cruising around town. i especially like the song by brad paisley - "i'm still a guy"...so perfect, right??? thank you for including me in your elite cd circle of friends! i miss you and i wish we were going to be around when you visit, hopefully next time for sure!
jen - thanks so much for yet another GREAT cd mix! it was like christmas in may when i opened my mailbox to find your package! the cd's are perfect for my long drives to work and for just cruising around town. i especially like the song by brad paisley - "i'm still a guy"...so perfect, right??? thank you for including me in your elite cd circle of friends! i miss you and i wish we were going to be around when you visit, hopefully next time for sure!
Friday, May 16, 2008
the things we do for love
do you ever feel like you are always giving and not receiving?
i know women don't talk about it much nor do we express this concept to our loved ones half as much as we are feeling it...so i think a better title for this post might be "all about me-just this once".
let's start with the dogs...now that i am home with them for the greater part of the day when i am not running errands or heading off to the gym they both know how to work me. koda is the master of attention getting. he'll come over when i am doing laundry, cleaning or even typing and will nose-nudge my arm, butt, or whatever he can come in contact with just to let me know he is there and at that very second he needs me to pet him. sounds cute, right? actually, it is quite the opposite after about 10x a day. i will be bent over doing something in the house and he never fails to give me a good goose in the butt just to let me know he needs some attention. most dog trainers would not allow this behavior, and sometimes i wonder what happened to the diciplinarian in me, b/c inevitably each time i turn to him to scold him and those big blue eyes melt my heart. as annoying as it is, i allow it. like i said, the things we will do for love.
as for logan, he just backs right up next to you for a good butt massage. he is like a 85lb cat rubbing on you just to get a little butt scratching action. you can't help but scratch him, b/c he'll lick you silly until you do. gotta love those pets esp b/c they are so darn cute!
as for ally that goes without saying...she gets 95% of my attention and love. i allow her to mess with my make-up, my hair, my grape lipsmackers (in which, she has decided to bite into lately) my cell phone and my beloved IPOD. nothing is really that important to me anymore so she has access to all the good stuff. keeping this in mind, every once in a while i will ask her for a kiss (she gives the best kisses when she wants to) and lately she has been telling me no! then i have to pretend cry before she gives me a kiss. i tell ya, the girls has primtime access to all my property, she asks for something, she usually receives it and i ask for one kiss, one kiss and i get a big fat NO! the girls is almost 2 and she has me wrapped. i am currently reading a good book right now, "the happiest todller on the block" and let me tell you, as much attention as she gets she might as well be the happiest toddler on any block for that matter!
and of course, hubby. he gets the other 5% ally doesn't get. i do not post much on here about hubby, for privacy reasons and what not, but i figured i would share some of my thoughts only to make my original point about us women. now, as some know, hubby is quite the man...he cleans, cooks, fixes things, does laundry and even changes diapers. i truly can't complain, however, lately i have noticed that b/c everyone else is sucking the love and energy out of him between the dogs and ally - he has none left for mwaaah! he has even admitted to it when i have politely asked him if we would massage my feet. he sometimes sighs in disgust or he will do it all of 2 minutes (1 min for each foot!) before quitting. this type of apathy just gets me going. i start back-tracking to the days when we were so in LOOOOVE and he would massage my feet without me asking for an hour, yada, yada, yada! evenutally he will give me a big hug and a quick peck - not b/c he really wants to, but more to shut me up! i see what people mean when they talk about the "honeymoon phase". it happens much too early in the relationship as far as i am concerned! i could go on and on about how much both keith and i take for granted our relationship, neglecting each other from time to time and doing less out of love and more out of obligation.
which leads me to this...i wondered if any of my friends who read this post, have experience this. if so, how do you take time out for yourself, iginite the old romance flame with hubby and literally keep your sanity daily between all you have to do and all you are expected to do. i know some of you are quite the pro at this balancing act even with 2+ children. even without children involved, it's always tough to balance life and renew our love for each other. i do realize i could get this from some book about romance, etc, but i wondered what really works - from my friends point of view.
so if you care to share, what are the things you do for love in your family?
i know women don't talk about it much nor do we express this concept to our loved ones half as much as we are feeling it...so i think a better title for this post might be "all about me-just this once".
let's start with the dogs...now that i am home with them for the greater part of the day when i am not running errands or heading off to the gym they both know how to work me. koda is the master of attention getting. he'll come over when i am doing laundry, cleaning or even typing and will nose-nudge my arm, butt, or whatever he can come in contact with just to let me know he is there and at that very second he needs me to pet him. sounds cute, right? actually, it is quite the opposite after about 10x a day. i will be bent over doing something in the house and he never fails to give me a good goose in the butt just to let me know he needs some attention. most dog trainers would not allow this behavior, and sometimes i wonder what happened to the diciplinarian in me, b/c inevitably each time i turn to him to scold him and those big blue eyes melt my heart. as annoying as it is, i allow it. like i said, the things we will do for love.
as for logan, he just backs right up next to you for a good butt massage. he is like a 85lb cat rubbing on you just to get a little butt scratching action. you can't help but scratch him, b/c he'll lick you silly until you do. gotta love those pets esp b/c they are so darn cute!
as for ally that goes without saying...she gets 95% of my attention and love. i allow her to mess with my make-up, my hair, my grape lipsmackers (in which, she has decided to bite into lately) my cell phone and my beloved IPOD. nothing is really that important to me anymore so she has access to all the good stuff. keeping this in mind, every once in a while i will ask her for a kiss (she gives the best kisses when she wants to) and lately she has been telling me no! then i have to pretend cry before she gives me a kiss. i tell ya, the girls has primtime access to all my property, she asks for something, she usually receives it and i ask for one kiss, one kiss and i get a big fat NO! the girls is almost 2 and she has me wrapped. i am currently reading a good book right now, "the happiest todller on the block" and let me tell you, as much attention as she gets she might as well be the happiest toddler on any block for that matter!
and of course, hubby. he gets the other 5% ally doesn't get. i do not post much on here about hubby, for privacy reasons and what not, but i figured i would share some of my thoughts only to make my original point about us women. now, as some know, hubby is quite the man...he cleans, cooks, fixes things, does laundry and even changes diapers. i truly can't complain, however, lately i have noticed that b/c everyone else is sucking the love and energy out of him between the dogs and ally - he has none left for mwaaah! he has even admitted to it when i have politely asked him if we would massage my feet. he sometimes sighs in disgust or he will do it all of 2 minutes (1 min for each foot!) before quitting. this type of apathy just gets me going. i start back-tracking to the days when we were so in LOOOOVE and he would massage my feet without me asking for an hour, yada, yada, yada! evenutally he will give me a big hug and a quick peck - not b/c he really wants to, but more to shut me up! i see what people mean when they talk about the "honeymoon phase". it happens much too early in the relationship as far as i am concerned! i could go on and on about how much both keith and i take for granted our relationship, neglecting each other from time to time and doing less out of love and more out of obligation.
which leads me to this...i wondered if any of my friends who read this post, have experience this. if so, how do you take time out for yourself, iginite the old romance flame with hubby and literally keep your sanity daily between all you have to do and all you are expected to do. i know some of you are quite the pro at this balancing act even with 2+ children. even without children involved, it's always tough to balance life and renew our love for each other. i do realize i could get this from some book about romance, etc, but i wondered what really works - from my friends point of view.
so if you care to share, what are the things you do for love in your family?
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
dentist, house chores, potty training and furniture shopping...
all of which i am not fond of anymore for the obvious reasons...here are a few.
the dentist...why do dentists insist on talking to you when they know you can't respond b/c you have all kinds of foreign objects in your mouth, is beyond me. today i sounded similiar to someone who was playing "fuzzy bunny" with a bunch of marshmellows stuffed in my mouth while i answered questions about my job, my family and what i like to do. all along i couldn't stop thinking to myself SOMEONE MAKE IT STOP-PLEASE! of course a good dentist appointment is not complete without finding out that yet, another tooth needs filled. ok, 5- but who's counting?
house chores were much more fun when i had hired ALL CLEAN in jacksonville. i miss them more than i miss smithfields. i can't believe i just said that out loud, but i am desperate. i hate cleaning bathrooms that much! i am not the one peeing on the seat, why do i have to clean it- for real?
as for potty training i am starting to wonder who is training who here. we have definitely made absolutely no progress in over a week. we get on the toilet with all good intentions but NOTHING...absolutely nothing. before when i didn't care about potty training (or at least pretended not to care) ally pee-pee'd and even poopied in there, now that i feel the wrath of potty training breathing down my neck - NO CAN DO. i am not giving up that easily - do you hear me??? i don't really know who i am talking to - maybe the wretched potty gods who are playing this funny little game with me. joke's over - can we just get a pee or a poop already? holla!
and last but certainly not least, furniture shopping. i have spent countless minutes, hours and days trying to figure out when to transition ally from crib to bed. not only when, but how as well. i have come to the conclusion that we will need to buy those security attachments, so that ally doesn't fall out of bed, or feel the need to get up in the middle of night and bug me (oops, my mind ran away from me there). anyways, we have been looking around and i am perplexed. do i buy ally children's furniture (small to scale) or just go right to the regular adult furniture that she will evenutally be growing into? i know, i know...there are people in third world countries starving and such, but this is quite the decision for me latley. i spent at least 1-2 hours today searching and comparing prices...this is how i know that i need to have a full time job at ALL times, or i will find the most meaningless crap to think about, and ponder over!
i guess i could take out a want ad for help and this is what it might read: Desperately seeking someone to clean my house, potty train my daughter and do all my meaningless thinking for a week while i blog away.
any takers?
the dentist...why do dentists insist on talking to you when they know you can't respond b/c you have all kinds of foreign objects in your mouth, is beyond me. today i sounded similiar to someone who was playing "fuzzy bunny" with a bunch of marshmellows stuffed in my mouth while i answered questions about my job, my family and what i like to do. all along i couldn't stop thinking to myself SOMEONE MAKE IT STOP-PLEASE! of course a good dentist appointment is not complete without finding out that yet, another tooth needs filled. ok, 5- but who's counting?
house chores were much more fun when i had hired ALL CLEAN in jacksonville. i miss them more than i miss smithfields. i can't believe i just said that out loud, but i am desperate. i hate cleaning bathrooms that much! i am not the one peeing on the seat, why do i have to clean it- for real?
as for potty training i am starting to wonder who is training who here. we have definitely made absolutely no progress in over a week. we get on the toilet with all good intentions but NOTHING...absolutely nothing. before when i didn't care about potty training (or at least pretended not to care) ally pee-pee'd and even poopied in there, now that i feel the wrath of potty training breathing down my neck - NO CAN DO. i am not giving up that easily - do you hear me??? i don't really know who i am talking to - maybe the wretched potty gods who are playing this funny little game with me. joke's over - can we just get a pee or a poop already? holla!
and last but certainly not least, furniture shopping. i have spent countless minutes, hours and days trying to figure out when to transition ally from crib to bed. not only when, but how as well. i have come to the conclusion that we will need to buy those security attachments, so that ally doesn't fall out of bed, or feel the need to get up in the middle of night and bug me (oops, my mind ran away from me there). anyways, we have been looking around and i am perplexed. do i buy ally children's furniture (small to scale) or just go right to the regular adult furniture that she will evenutally be growing into? i know, i know...there are people in third world countries starving and such, but this is quite the decision for me latley. i spent at least 1-2 hours today searching and comparing prices...this is how i know that i need to have a full time job at ALL times, or i will find the most meaningless crap to think about, and ponder over!
i guess i could take out a want ad for help and this is what it might read: Desperately seeking someone to clean my house, potty train my daughter and do all my meaningless thinking for a week while i blog away.
any takers?
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
rubbing elbows with #7
so the other day i went to sign us up for a membership at the new YMCA in our town. a very nice facility with two pools, a gym, a fitness center, senior center, fields, and tons of youth and fitness classes. being the gym rat that i have always been, i couldn't wait to take advantage of all it had to offer both personally and on a family basis. where was i going with this...oh yeah, back to the rubbing elbows thingy.
so, i was getting my paperwork filled out and i asked for a guided tour (after a 10 conversation with karyn and kids as they were leaving) in which i was taken around the place by one of the staff members. first stop: gym. it was about noon by now and there were some men playing pick-up (that is basketball to all non-athletes reading). and what to my wondering eyes should appear??? but none other than BIG BEN! YES, Ben Roethelisberger was playing pick up at my YMCA! of course, i pretended to not be in AWE of him...that would be uncool, so I asked if this was an open gym pick up game and anyone could play? that was a big YES from the staff, so i got to thinking - that i need to lace up my shoes and shoot some hoops with BIG BEN. possibly give him a couple good assists, pointers and screens to get him open or i could give him a taste of some tenacious defense ruiz style! of course i would go easier on him than most, can't take any chance of injuring his precious multi-million dollar joints, ligaments and bones for the season :)
after i have returned from la-la land, i decided it was time to begin my workout session with a one hour spin session - all i have to say is that my legs and buttocks are cursing me up one side and down the other!!!!!
calgon take me away...
so, i was getting my paperwork filled out and i asked for a guided tour (after a 10 conversation with karyn and kids as they were leaving) in which i was taken around the place by one of the staff members. first stop: gym. it was about noon by now and there were some men playing pick-up (that is basketball to all non-athletes reading). and what to my wondering eyes should appear??? but none other than BIG BEN! YES, Ben Roethelisberger was playing pick up at my YMCA! of course, i pretended to not be in AWE of him...that would be uncool, so I asked if this was an open gym pick up game and anyone could play? that was a big YES from the staff, so i got to thinking - that i need to lace up my shoes and shoot some hoops with BIG BEN. possibly give him a couple good assists, pointers and screens to get him open or i could give him a taste of some tenacious defense ruiz style! of course i would go easier on him than most, can't take any chance of injuring his precious multi-million dollar joints, ligaments and bones for the season :)
after i have returned from la-la land, i decided it was time to begin my workout session with a one hour spin session - all i have to say is that my legs and buttocks are cursing me up one side and down the other!!!!!
calgon take me away...
Monday, May 12, 2008
my new wheels
we caved and bought ally her first official bike a little early this summer. as you can see, keith and i need to work on SELF-CONTROL! haha! actually, i am surprised we stuck it out this long. lately, she has been wanting to ride all the neighborhood bikes. lucky for us they are just too big for her or she would have most definitely saddled up!
the peddling is a bit challenging, but once she gets some momentum going, she can keep up. i definitley think one of those parent guiding attachments would have been nice to save all the lower back aching - yikes! note to self...you are getting old, spare yourself when you can!
next up...a motorized navigator - a ride with style and a parents back saver!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
a special gift
today i received pancakes for breakfast, two really sweet cards, a new watch and a sterling silver heart necklace from keith and ally. my watch is both casual and stylish and my necklace is perfect for me as it is not too dainty and matches everything from dress to casual. i can't wait to show them both off soon. i recently found this very cool boutique around the corner from my house that sells brighton jewelry which is the line my watch and necklace are both from, i think this may be my new occasional splurge...uh-oh!
i was able to meet my mom, my sister, my grandma and my aunt for brunch at a midway point between our houses. we enjoyed a nice brunch on the olive garden. ally enjoyed buttered noodles and parmesan cheese with us as well. it was the first mother's day in over 6 years i was able to spend with my mom! so, for me it was a special day in more ways than just one! bringing the 3 generations of mom's together is always special in itself.
unfortunately, it has been raining all day so i have spent the rest of the afternoon under a blanket with my laptop and my family close by, as the perfect ending to a more than perfect mother's day comes to a close - i hope for happy mother's day to all.
i was able to meet my mom, my sister, my grandma and my aunt for brunch at a midway point between our houses. we enjoyed a nice brunch on the olive garden. ally enjoyed buttered noodles and parmesan cheese with us as well. it was the first mother's day in over 6 years i was able to spend with my mom! so, for me it was a special day in more ways than just one! bringing the 3 generations of mom's together is always special in itself.
unfortunately, it has been raining all day so i have spent the rest of the afternoon under a blanket with my laptop and my family close by, as the perfect ending to a more than perfect mother's day comes to a close - i hope for happy mother's day to all.
Friday, May 9, 2008
some thoughts...CAUTION...they may be random
what about neil diamond? you know, the singer neil diamond
...does the fact that i wouldn't mind going to see him in concert in about a month make me old and a bit soft-rockish? or could it be the fact that most of his music reminds me of closing time at Al Patti's and Coney Island in college while singing in my best drunken chords - SWEET CAROLINE...bom, bom, bom --good times never felt so good-so good-so good!
michelle with her beer in hand and the sweet smell of JOOP cologne a midst the air of all the guys trying to find a late night hook-up with their beer googles
...or could it possibly be that i am old altogether and SWEET CAROLINE is not enjoyed by young college students these days? only to be enjoyed by these 30 somethings or other who are desperately holding onto their youth somehow, someway.
either way, i had some good times to his music and if that makes me old and soft-rockish, then so be it --you rock in my book neil! actually i am quite afraid i may be one of the youngest ones at this concert, which might be a boost in my confidence via the age factor :-)
still focusing on my youth...i am working on convincing ally that she would love NKOTB, now that they are having a reunion and reunion tour - i need a reason to buy their cd and possibly attend their concert once it hits the burgh without feeling like an 80's groupie. unfortunately, my plan is not working, since ally is into noggin and could careless who is hanging tough!
lucky for us, she is not easily persuaded, this could be a good sign for those ruthless teenage years of peer pressure.
...does the fact that i wouldn't mind going to see him in concert in about a month make me old and a bit soft-rockish? or could it be the fact that most of his music reminds me of closing time at Al Patti's and Coney Island in college while singing in my best drunken chords - SWEET CAROLINE...bom, bom, bom --good times never felt so good-so good-so good!
michelle with her beer in hand and the sweet smell of JOOP cologne a midst the air of all the guys trying to find a late night hook-up with their beer googles
...or could it possibly be that i am old altogether and SWEET CAROLINE is not enjoyed by young college students these days? only to be enjoyed by these 30 somethings or other who are desperately holding onto their youth somehow, someway.
either way, i had some good times to his music and if that makes me old and soft-rockish, then so be it --you rock in my book neil! actually i am quite afraid i may be one of the youngest ones at this concert, which might be a boost in my confidence via the age factor :-)
still focusing on my youth...i am working on convincing ally that she would love NKOTB, now that they are having a reunion and reunion tour - i need a reason to buy their cd and possibly attend their concert once it hits the burgh without feeling like an 80's groupie. unfortunately, my plan is not working, since ally is into noggin and could careless who is hanging tough!
lucky for us, she is not easily persuaded, this could be a good sign for those ruthless teenage years of peer pressure.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
under my umbrella...ella...ella...ella
it is raining here in the Burgh today...it is a bit of a bummy day due to darker skies and the damp feeling outside. even though the grass, plants, trees and flowers needed it...it is a bit hard to keep energized on days like these, in fact, i think this a good day for some caffiene! i am off to the vending machine for a soda. yes, it is only 10:45am, but a girls got to do what a girls gotta do!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
tribute to Pap
19 years ago today i lost my Pap. i was 16. he was a wonderful person who i aodored very much as a young girl.
he taught me a lot about sports. i recall rolling a ball back and forth growing up with that man. i get my great hand-eye-coordination from all that practice and probably most of my athletic ability from him. he was a great athlete too.
mostly, what i enjoy remembering about him was his unconditional love for all of us grandkids. he was a special man that loved family, sports and kids. he hardly ever told you no - esp when it came to spurlging on sweets!
i used to think it was a bad thing that he died on the day i visited him in the hospital after falling ill one weekend, but now as i reflect back, i know it was not bad, it was special.
i know he would have loved to see my family and roll that same ball around with allyson.
god called upon him on this day and he is now in heaven no longer suffering...
there isn't a day that goes by that i don't miss that man and when i am called upon by the lord, i know we will meet again.
he taught me a lot about sports. i recall rolling a ball back and forth growing up with that man. i get my great hand-eye-coordination from all that practice and probably most of my athletic ability from him. he was a great athlete too.
mostly, what i enjoy remembering about him was his unconditional love for all of us grandkids. he was a special man that loved family, sports and kids. he hardly ever told you no - esp when it came to spurlging on sweets!
i used to think it was a bad thing that he died on the day i visited him in the hospital after falling ill one weekend, but now as i reflect back, i know it was not bad, it was special.
i know he would have loved to see my family and roll that same ball around with allyson.
god called upon him on this day and he is now in heaven no longer suffering...
there isn't a day that goes by that i don't miss that man and when i am called upon by the lord, i know we will meet again.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
new header
when i first started this blog, i thought for sure i wouldn't have the time or energy to keep up with it so i made my header out to be more about my journey related to running and training. since then, i have come to realize that this is a very relaxing part of my day, and i truly enjoy posting and writing. with that being said, i have finally came up with a more signifcant header for my blog that fits our lifestyle to a TEE!
as you can see i was a bit creative, but i think the word CHAOS fits the ruiz family quite well from all kinds of angles! most of you know, that i am planner, organizer and clean freak - so as you can see this is truly a change for me, but i am getting used to it - s -l - o- w- l - y...
don't worry friends, i will still post things about training too. i am taking a little break right now from competing, but hope to be back at it again soon. this next little journey will hopefully include a bike and some swimming lessons :-)
as you can see i was a bit creative, but i think the word CHAOS fits the ruiz family quite well from all kinds of angles! most of you know, that i am planner, organizer and clean freak - so as you can see this is truly a change for me, but i am getting used to it - s -l - o- w- l - y...
don't worry friends, i will still post things about training too. i am taking a little break right now from competing, but hope to be back at it again soon. this next little journey will hopefully include a bike and some swimming lessons :-)
Sunday, May 4, 2008
oh so busy!
this weekend was a like a whirlwind...but then again when isn't it? i swear the work week would be better for all if it were only 4 days long and the weekends were 3!
let's see for starters ally was sent home from daycare on friday because she had a fever. i think she was fighting off something, b/c she has a runny nose and watery eyes as well. thank goodness for the tubes, b/c normally an ear infection would have followed causing her to be on antibiotics. vast improvement, but still not liking the fact that she was ill most of the weekend.
saturday we had an afternoon party for jadyn at 2. it was fun despite the rain. the jumpy house was a hit as always. we spent most of the late afternoon and evening there so ally was a bear later in the evening.
sunday we took our chances by brining ally to the bodies exhibit. it was the last and final days of the exhibit which has been here since early fall. keith and i both felt we would regret not seeing it if we didn't take our opportunity while it was in our backyard so-to-speak. it was quite interesting. if you know nothing about it - i can brief you...basically it consists of real cadaver bodies that you can see all the major organs, bones, ligaments, and tendons through perservation. science is truly amazing...my favorite part was the developmental room. some people don't like to see that room, but i found it fascinating.
it was a long afternoon, esp. with ally. she was well-behaved for the most part, so i guess keith and i got off easy. after dinner we took her to the park with koda and logan in tow. it was their turn to have fun where all 3 could be
free to run and jump! it was much appreciated by all.
i will post some pictures soon.
Happy 2nd Birthday Jadyn - May 2nd
Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad - May 3rd
let's see for starters ally was sent home from daycare on friday because she had a fever. i think she was fighting off something, b/c she has a runny nose and watery eyes as well. thank goodness for the tubes, b/c normally an ear infection would have followed causing her to be on antibiotics. vast improvement, but still not liking the fact that she was ill most of the weekend.
saturday we had an afternoon party for jadyn at 2. it was fun despite the rain. the jumpy house was a hit as always. we spent most of the late afternoon and evening there so ally was a bear later in the evening.
sunday we took our chances by brining ally to the bodies exhibit. it was the last and final days of the exhibit which has been here since early fall. keith and i both felt we would regret not seeing it if we didn't take our opportunity while it was in our backyard so-to-speak. it was quite interesting. if you know nothing about it - i can brief you...basically it consists of real cadaver bodies that you can see all the major organs, bones, ligaments, and tendons through perservation. science is truly amazing...my favorite part was the developmental room. some people don't like to see that room, but i found it fascinating.
it was a long afternoon, esp. with ally. she was well-behaved for the most part, so i guess keith and i got off easy. after dinner we took her to the park with koda and logan in tow. it was their turn to have fun where all 3 could be
free to run and jump! it was much appreciated by all.
i will post some pictures soon.
Happy 2nd Birthday Jadyn - May 2nd
Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad - May 3rd
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