Monday Mumbers

I saw this over at Good Enough Mama. It's called "Monday Mumbers" - it's a post of numbers. I was going to write a weekend recap post, but when I saw this, I thought it would be fun to recap in the form of numbers.

2 the number of hours spent driving into work, and then back home again before I even walked into the building, because I had to pick up a sick Seesa from school

3 the number of meetings I called in to from home, while simultaneously distracting sick daughter so I could listen to the call

4 number of text message exchanged with husband as we attempt to decide whether or not to cancel weekend trip to visit the Grandparents

3 number of different medications we gave Seesa to help her feel better for the trip

5 number of hours spent driving to visit Grammie and Grampie's house

72 number of gorgeous degrees it was outside at the Grandfolk's house this weekend

5 number of pounds I probably gained eating Grammie's yummy cooking

0 number of times I worried about anything on our relaxing weekend trip

7 number of hours total (no kidding) that my girls spent swimming in Grammie and Grampie's "pool" (hot tub)

6.5 number of brutal hours spent driving back home in Sunday afternoon traffic with

2 number of exhausted girls from a weekend of fun with the Grandfolks

Totally worth it

I want these!

Scary Mommy is giving away these earrings:


Check her out - she's a really enjoyable read! And while you are there, enter to win them for yourself. And if you do win, you can give them to me. Out of the generosity of your heart. Or, just let me borrow them. Because you are so thankful that I told you about them. And then I'll link to you in my next "Thankful Thursday". Speaking of, where is this week's Thankful Thursday post, you ask? I'm waiting to win these, so I can write about how thankful I am for them.

The apples don't fall far from the tree

Seesa all dressed up in her 4-H uniform, showing off her bunny at Farm Day.

Milly relaxing on (very tolerant) Baker, the chocolate lab we got to dog-sit this weekend.

Yes, that me. At eighteen years old, dressed in my 4-H uniform, showing my lamb. No, I'm not embarrassed. I've mentioned before that I was am a total geek...

I love that my girls love animals as much as I do.

It pays to be organized

For me, it would have paid five hours of time spent searching through eight bags of papers, pictures, magazines and miscellaneous crap, for two check registers that we needed for our taxes. Bags that had been sitting in a closet, waiting for the day that I'd have time to go through these things, toss and file. Today was not the day that I had time to do this.

Going though these bags of crap yielded me:

• 5 bags of garbage
• 4 Nordstrom gift cards
• 1 Gymboree gift card
• 1 Peet's Coffee card
• $40 in cash
• 5 books of stamps
• Certificate for free portrait sitting, expiring in May
• Certificate for one hour golf lesson, expires in April
• Certificate for swim lessons, already expired
• 2 books of Ferry Tickets
• 3 other important documents for our taxes
• One of the two missing check registers
• One and a half more hours of time piecing together who we wrote checks contained in missing check register to, based on dates and amounts alone

So when they say it pays to be organized, they are not kidding.

Happy Birthday Lisa

Happy Birthday to my beautiful friend Lisa!

Lisa and I have known each other since college, were married the same year, both had baby girls within months of each other, and have been friends through thick and thin through all of these years.

I love you so much, and cherish our friendship. I hope you had a wonderful birthday weekend.

...and for the excuse as to why you did not get a real live card for your birthday...see next post about my lack of organization.

Thankful Thursday - Pay It Forward

I feel like I'm surrounded by bad news these days, especially at work. I work in the financial industry, so it's hard to escape hearing about the economy. It's pretty much thrown in my face on a daily basis. Uncertainty has become a way of life around the office.

In the midst of all of this, I can't help but think about ALL that I have to be thankful for. My wonderful family and friends. Living in one of the most beautiful areas in the world. Our warm and cozy home. Our health. It's really difficult to complain about anything when I think about these things - although sometimes I do complain anyway, because it's fun.

So today, in honor of everything I am thankful for, I am going to Pay It Forward. Butwhymommy was recently spreading some love in the blogosphere, and I was one of the lucky winners - so now I am going to pay it forward to three of you!

Be one of the first three commenters on this post, and you will receive a package from me with some fun things from San Francisco. In return, you Pay It Forward to three of your commenters, and so on and so on. Be sure I can contact you via email, so I can get the details of where to mail your goodies.

For the love of reading

I love reading books to both of my girls. Some of their favorites are Dr. Seuss, which is great because those are some of my favorites to read to them. Seesa has recently been really interested in writing "books" of her own. She draws different pictures, puts them together and creates a story. At first, she'd recite the story for me to write next to the pictures she'd drawn. Lately, she wants to write the sentences herself. She asks how to spell each word, then writes it out in her book.

Her latest book is about houses. Each page has a different colored house on it, and describes that particular house, "some houses are red", "some houses are yellow", "some houses are black", etc. What really melted my heart, was when she brought me her favorite book, Seuss' The Cat in the Hat, and told me that it was the book that gave her the idea for her book about houses.

Wow.
Milly loves a good book too. Her current favorite is called A Pony for a Princess. Here's how the reading of this book to Milly plays out, every.time.we.read.it...

Belle picked out a book from the castle library. Then she looked out the window. The sun was shining. "I think I will read outside today," she said.
Why she going outside Mommy?
Because the sun is shining honey.
Belle left the castle. She walked past the barn. There was a big pile of hay by the barn.
Why hay by the barn Mommy?
Well, let's just see.
She walked past the apple tree. There was a big basket of apples under the tree. Belle sat down to read.
Why she sitting Mommy?
Because she doesn't want to read standing up.
Belle read and read. Before long, she felt hungry.
Why Belle hungry Mommy?
I guess it was lunchtime honey.
Belle put down her book. She walked back to the castle to get some lunch.
Why go to the castle Mommy?
Because that's where the food is.
Belle put a sandwich, some lemonade, and some sugar cubes into a picnic basket. "And I will pick an apple for dessert," she said.
Why apple Mommy?
Apples are good for you honey.
Belle went back outside. She walked past the barn. The hay was gone! "That is odd," Belle said.
Why odd Mommy?
That means weird.
She walked past the apple tree. The basket was empty! "Who could have eaten all the apples?" Belle asked.
Who eat the apples Mommy?
I bet we are about to find out!
Belle looked this way. Belle looked that way. Then she saw something behind a bush. It was a wild pony!
Why wild pony Mommy?
Because the pony was wild.
Belle stepped closer. But the pony was scared. It ran this way....and it ran that way. But the pony would not come to Belle.
Why the pony scared Mommy?
Just stick with me here babe, the plot's just starting to thicken!
Belle had an idea. She took the sugar cubes from the picnic basket. She placed them in a row on the grass. Then she stepped back.
Why she stepped back Mommy?
To see what would happen honey!
The pony ate one sugar cube. Then it ate another. And another. Soon the pony was right next to Belle!
Why the pony next to Belle Mommy?
Sugar works wonders that way.
Belle held out the last sugar cube. The pony ate it right from her hand! She reached out to pat the pony's soft nose.
Why she pat pony nose Mommy?
Who doesn't want to pat a pony honey?
Belle was happy. She led the pretty pony to the barn.
Why she put pony in the barn Mommy?
So she can pat him anytime she wants.
And before long, the princess and the pony became great friends.
Why friends Mommy?
Wouldn't you be the pony's friend too, if you were the princess?

And she is my princess, despite the Spanish Inquisition!

Is this still considered teaching them manners?

The other night at dinner, I was taking an opportunity to teach the girls manners in the form of using their napkins, rather than their sleeves to wipe their mouths.

Me: See. Look at Mommy. I'm using my napkin to wipe my mouth like this.

Both girls wipe their mouths with napkins.

Me: You did it - good job!

Seesa shows me her napkin and says: Mommy, look at all the crap on here!

You can't complain about free help, but I'm going to anyway

Alternate title, "why I haven't posted my weekly thankful thursday yet".

My husband is out of town for a 2 week business trip - and the whining shall commence now...

My Mom came over last night to help me out, so that I could attend a parenting class on "guilt free parenting" - post on that upcoming. She spent the night to help me with the kids in the morning, so I could get to work. At least that was the idea.

We all got up this morning and my Mom went to the bathroom. The girls and I went out to the kitchen for breakfast. I made everyone breakfast. She was still in the bathroom. I started getting lunches ready. She finally came out, ate and then started unloading my dishwasher. I know she was trying to be helpful, but that's not what I needed help with at that moment. I asked her if she could help get the kids going instead, but she said "oh, there's just a few dishes left", and she finished. Only thing, is that she put about half of the dishes on the counter because she didn't know where they went. I needed counter space to finish the girls' lunches, so as I frantically put away the dishes sitting on the counter, I dropped two glass bowls and they shattered all over the kitchen floor. At that point, I yelled at everyone to get out of the kitchen, and asked my Mom to help get the kids dressed. I cut my finger open cleaning up the glass, so after all the blood and glass was cleaned up, I went back to see how the dressing was progressing. Seesa was wearing three shirts and Milly was still in her pajama top - ok, good enough. I took them in the bathroom to pull their hair out of their faces and help them brush their teeth. Then I asked my Mom if she could get them off to preschool for me. She said, "ok, just let me brush my hair". So, I got their shoes and jackets on, collected the lunches, negotiated stuffed toys they wanted to take to preschool... until my Mom finally came out to take them off. My hands that is.

My attempt to save an hour in the morning by having my Mom help out... resulted in adding an hour to my morning. Thank God I could conference into my first meeting from the road. I guess being retired, you sort of forget the rush of getting everyone going in the mornings. My first clue should have been when she kept asking me if I ever watch "The View". Ah, no Mom. I'm usually in meetings at work at ten in the morning.

a meme

Julia at Sometimes Lucid tagged me for a photo meme that sounded familiar...when I realized that I'd done it before. However, as I was searching through my draft posts before this discovery, I ran across a meme that I never published. Back in October, Marinka - yes, that Marinka - tagged me for a meme, to write six odd things about myself. So, five months later...here it is!


Me: Hey, I've been tagged by Motherhood in NYC! How cool!

Husband: Huh?

Me: It's a blog thing. I have to write six odd things about me. It's called a meme.

Husband: Sounds like a scam.

Me: How is that a scam?

Husband: Because they are trying to get personal information out of you.

Me: Yah, maybe Marinka is actually the Pink Panther of the blogsphere, and she's covertly gathering random clues that will help her uncover the secret hiding place of the 20 carat diamond we have hidden in the house.

Husband: Ok, ok. Then, where I come from, that's called smear the queer.

Me: I'm totally going to blog about this conversation.


1. I've been a huge fan of the reality show, Survivor, since the first season. I've even tried to get on the show more than once (before I had kids, now I feel like I live the show every day). I think Mark Burnett is a genius, coming up with a new twist for every season. And don't even get me started on Jeff Probst...yum. Greatest show ever.

2. I don't mind small talk with people I've just met, but I can't stand small talk with good friends. I like to get right into the good stuff. Sometimes I don't even start a conversation with a good friend, with "hello", I start with "so...".

3. When getting ready to go to bed, I like to lay everything out in the bathroom. Toothbrush with paste on it - check. Contact lens case with solution in it - check. Facial soap and moisturizer - check. After everything is all lined up and ready to go, then I execute the actual bedtime routine. Weird. I know.

4. I'm horribly nearsighted. I can't see a thing without my contacts or glasses. I've thought about getting lasix surgery. I've had plenty of friends who've done it, and love it. But, I'd really miss the "break" of being somewhat blind. I really enjoy taking off my contacts at night and being able to sort of turn off, without even closing my eyes.

5. I adore music. This, in itself is not odd, I realize. The part that verges on odd, is probably this... I often think that my life should have a soundtrack. I could probably find just the right song to go along with almost every post I write in my blog. I could (and have) sing karaoke all night long - with or without an audience. I love making up songs in everyday interactions with my kids, and they often sing back their responses to me.

It goes something like this...sort of to the tune of I'm a little tea pot.

Me: "We've gotta get out the door, we've gotta get to the store."

Kids: "No Mommy, No. We don't want to go."

6. I sometimes have a difficult time fighting for something for myself, but give me a good cause, or an injustice caused to someone else - and I will passionately pursue the greater good, usually at all costs. One astrology book describes my strengths as protective, generous and fearless; and my weaknesses as unrealistic, unyielding and self-sacrificing. I think that's pretty accurate.

If you want to do this fun meme, consider youself tagged. You have up to 6 months to post it.

Thankful Thursday, on a Friday

I have a LOT to be thankful for this week - three different awards, from three different bloggy friends!

I'm sharing the love of these awards Academy Award style...by choosing just one "winner" in each category. Ok, I'll admit it...when I started choosing from so many wonderful bloggers, I found myself choosing everyone - which is probably the reason that this Thankful Thursday is posting on Friday. I'm not very good at this.

Thank you Christy at A Lil' Welsh Rarebit, for the "Premios Dardo" award.

"Given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing... created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing affection and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web."

Wow. Can I put that on my self evaluation at work, under "unplanned accomplishments"?


As part of this award, I had to search my name in Google images. This is what came up. This is my formal work picture. Don't I look all professional?


Next, I had to do a Google search on "Unfortunately, Kari". Here's what came up, with my comments in italics.

Unfortunately Kari will not be able to attend this weekend's "Rock And Shock Convention". because she is going to a "stop, drop and roll" seminar.

Unfortunately, Kari was worse the next day. which is why she doesn't like to drink the night before a day with toddlers.

Unfortunately, Kari is kind of an incarnation of my randomness. Exactly.

Unfortunately Kari did not know which, if either, of the peaks was Scartaris, and the sun was obscured by clouds anyway. so I've got that going for me, which is nice. (10 points if you can name the movie that line came from)

I would like to pass this honor onto Kirsten at The Norwindians, because she's my inspiration and her blog embodies the description of this award.


Thank you Lucy at Lucy's Life in Suberb World, for this next award.

“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers."

Ok, now I am totally blushing. And this award goes to one of my special bloggy friends, Andrea at Sweet Life.

Thank you Hope Floats at Misadventures of that Girl, for the Honest Scrap award.

For this award, I need to list ten honest things about myself.

• I don't like following rules.
• I rarely read directions before attempting to assemble things.
• I could eat an entire box of Thin Mints in one sitting.
• I was a total geek in Jr High.
• I am still a total geek.
• I "un-friended" a relative on Facebook.
• I take naps with my kids on weekends.
• I've convinced my 5 year old that she still needs a nap, because I need a nap.
• I read my own condensed version of long stories to my kids at bedtime.
• I'm only listing 9 honest things (see first honest point).

...and this fun award goes to Issa at Issa's Crazy World for her honesty, mixed with humor.

The price of trip to the snow

Packing up snow clothes, food, toys, sleds, sleeping bags and pillows... well past midnight: Exhausting



Enjoying a long weekend with friends, watching the excitement in the kid's eyes to be playing in the snow and finding an indoor activity zone on the day it rained: Worth it


Hearing my husband say, seeing his daughter on skis for the first time was the best 40th birthday present: Priceless

Confirmation that I am old

A friend of mine works in financial aid at a community college. She forwarded me an email about a new AARP scholarship program called "AARP Women's Scholarship Program Elder Economic Security Initiative", a program designed for women over 40.

Women over 40 are considered elders? I think I'm going to throw up.

On a side note, my friend got the email from her boss, who sent it to her because he thought that she fell under category # 2 below...

The scholarship is open to low-income women 40+. Priority is given to women who are in one of three categories:
1) women raising the children of another family member,
2) those in dead end jobs and
3) those who have been out of the paid workforce for an extended period


Despite this, I'm going to go right on believing that 40 is the new 30!