Bored at work----taking quizzes instead!

You Are 40% Normal

While some of your behavior is quite normal...Other things you do are downright strangeYou've got a little of your freak going onBut you mostly keep your weirdness to yourself

How Normal Are you?

Your Bumper Sticker Should Be

Even if the voices aren't real - they've got some great ideas

What Bumper Sticker Should be On Your Car?

You Are Marge Simpson

You're a devoted family member who loves unconditionally. Sometimes, though, you dream about living a wild secret life! You will be remembered for: your good cooking and evading the police Your life philosophy: "You should listen to your heart, and not the voices in your head."

Simpsons Personality Test



"Voices in my head" has come up twice in 3 quizzes.....hmmmmm, maybe they are on to something!

Oxymorons

1. Picking up the house for the maids. What?! How redundant is that!? Cleaning for the cleaning lady confuses the hell out of me but yet, last night, I spent 4 hours doing that very thing!

2. Office is closed for the holiday but you need to call to check in at least twice. Huh? If I have to check in with work on my day off, then it really isnt a day off, is it?

3. Affordable Family Housing, starting in the 800's. WHAT? Seriously, I saw this sign this morning and it isnt the first time I have seen this. What, may I ask, does this family do for a living that they can afford a house starting at $800,000? Please let me know because I just might be willing to change careers!

4. Childproof Gates. The box lied to me (I know, imagine that!). It said the gate latch was childproof. Why, then, did my toddler get it open and half way up the stairs before I realized it this morning?!

5. The fact that the government agency who I give the most money to each April is shut down for at least a month. I know that I pay them a pretty penny each year and in return, I simply expect them to maintain their building and be at their desks every single day. Nope----a little rain water in the basement and they are all on PAID vacation for a month!

6. Rush hour. If we are all rushing to get somewhere (presumably home after a long day at the office), then why are we only driving 25 miles an hour on the highway?! Driving 20 miles on highways should NOT take 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Okay, there they are....the oxymorons I have experienced in only the past 24 hours or so! Happy hour is tonight so I should be just fine by 5 pm.....about the time the first martini will be ordered!

The Application

I did it! I have my CMP application from the Convention Industry Council!

The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation is a HUGE deal for me, for my career, and for the industry. It was established in 1985 to raise industry standards and identify the body of knowledge needed in the industry to maximize the value of the services provided by meeting planners. Having those 3 letters at the end of your name signifies you as a professional with the highest standards in the industry. There are thousands of CMPs throughout the world now but achieving the level of CMP is still a feat to be proud of. And so on the path to CMP I embark!!!

Friends and family members of mine who are in the indsutry have recently gone through the process and so I do feel prepared to start my own journey. I know that ahead of me I have hours of studying, dozens of practice tests, and late nights spent awake with nightmares about the test. There are 3 books to absorb facts from and hundreds of flashcards to write and learn. And at the end of all the studying, there is a 3 hours test to take followed by 6-8 weeks of waiting for that envelope in the mail. No stress really! :)

The next step is filling out the final application. I have filled out a few practice applications so that I am ready with all my information. The essay has me stumped. Its an important part of the application yet the question is so simple: Why do you want to be a CMP? Simple questions are sometimes the hardest ones to answer in a simple essay.

Taking this step in my career is a turning point for me; from just a job to a career. Its so exciting!

Exhaustion

I am exhausted.

Being a parent means there is no more "just me" time, very little quality sleep, and there is never a time during the day when you can "turn off". At work, I must be on top of my Event Planning game and then as soon as I get to day care, I have to switch the hats and be on top of the Mommy game. Oh yeah, and dont forget all the housework that has to get done after the toddler's bedtime! So, when am I allowed to sit down?

Sure, I have times that I lay on the couch watching tv or sit by the pool reading a magazine. But honestly....not relaxing to me! Because as I lay there, seeming to chill out, I am actually thinking of all the things that need to get done/I want to get done/I forget to get done. Somewhere amid all those things, time has to be carved out for quality time with Grace and the Hubby. Unfortunatley, its usually couple time that suffers but I feel safe to say that is pretty par for the course with all the other parents (working or not!) out there!

Something has to give. Not sure what. Maybe now that my maid service is about to start, I can find some time to just hang out with my family. I wont have to be cleaning all the time as the big jobs will be done already. I can hope, can't I?!

For most people, summer is the slow time. Not me....my big event at work is in 14 weeks and so this is the busiest and most stressful time for me. Laying by the poole after work isnt really an option for much longer because I will start bringing work home just to get it done on time while balancing work hours and day care hours. Maybe in November I can take a mini-vacation.....one where I dont actually go anywhere but I dont go to work for a few days and spend some quality time with myself. Ahhh, the thought of that!

I know that I am not alone in all these feelings but right now, it kind of feels that way. Funny how it can be the loneliest when you are surrounded by other people.

Monsoon season in DC?!

Okay, seriously...enough with the rain already!!!!!!

It has been raining since late last week and, according to the weather man, it will rain for the next few days as well. I think the total I saw this morning on the news was just over 12 inches already with more to come!! We have had more rain in the past week than we usually get all summer long!!!!

Federal government buildings are closed because of flooding, there are roads near my house I cant drive on because of standing water, and it looks like my pool is going to overflow any moment!!!! Yesterday morning, there was a mudslide that covered half the Beltway!!!! Crazy!

Sorry for the rant today but damn.....cant the sun just come out for a few hours!?!?!??!!

Milestones just keep on comin'!

Grace peed in the potty for the first time this weekend!

Now, she has NO interest in sitting on the adorable, singing potty that i bought her (pictured here) fora mere $30. Instead, she likes to sit on the $10 Dora the Explorer cushion seat for the regular toilet. Oh well.....whatever works for her!! She has discovered that you can hang out on the toilet and read books and talk and sing songs, etc, etc,etc,etc.


All this potty training talk this weekend was strange. Never before in my life have I been so excited to hear someone pee. And never before have I spent that much time in the bathroom. And I definitely have never made up songs about the potty until this weekend. And I definitely never thought I would be sharing these milestones with everyone I know!!!!

Wow---the things that happen to a woman when she becomes a Mommy!!!

These Shoes Are Made For Walkin'

A milestone:

Grace put her own shoes on this morning ON THE RIGHT FEET!!!

Last night I was very excited to watch her get her sneakers on her feet all by herself. The fact that she kept tripping because the right shoe was on her left foot----that was totally irrelevant for me. I called the hubby and was so excited!

This morning, she one-upped herself and put the shoes on the right feet, all by herself.

Babies have milestones all the time but it seems like it has been SO long since there was a "Baby Book worthy" milestone so I am extra excited for this one!

Update: Day care just sent me the most adorable picture of Grace with her 2 little day care buddies!!! Left to right----Amy (the new girl), Madeliene (Grace's BEST friend), and Miss Gracie!!!

No Flying with Supermom!

A new policy has been written: At no time should anyone expect Supermom04's plane to get to its destination at the time originally planned. If there is a tight schedule to adhere to, most likely, Supermom04 will not be able to make the first few appointments at the destination because she will be in another city or will still be sitting in the original airport. Also, no one should fly with Supermom04.

Yes, the trip to Louisville was worse but it was much more fun because I had company on my trip with me. But there was still excitement and missed appointments on the Atlanta trip.

On Monday, I flew to Atlanta for a site visit. The flight down there was very unnewsworthy, with the exception of the partial power loss at the Atlanta airport causing us to move gates AFTER the plane pulled into the original arrival gate. No biggie. I had a great few days in Atlanta and enjoyed the little bit of down time that I had there.

And then I tried to come home via airplanes. AirTran had some computer failures (I saw these news reporters during one of my adventures in the lines!) and so the plane I was booked was HOURS late. We were supposed to leave Atlanta at 12:30 pm and get home at 2:15 pm, plenty of time for me to get Grace from day care so Daddy could stay at work late. HAHAHAHAHAHA!

After 3 date changes, 2 depature time changes, and 1 45 minute wait on the runway, we finally left the Atlanta airport.........at 4:15 pm!! I walked in my front door at 6:30 pm.....only 4 hours late! (Needless to say, Hubby didnt stay at work late last night!).

Back to the policy----no one should ever travel with me on an airplane...unless you dont mind being HOURS late!

BTW---Airtran---if you are reading this....I want my $100!

Hot-lanta

Well, here I am, in Atlanta where yes, it is HOT!!!! BUt I love the city so its okay.

Last week, I got to go to Louisville KY without the CEO but this week in Atlanta, not so lucky. I just spent 11 hours with him and I am DYING for some alone time now. Sidenote: I would prefer to be home with Grace and the hubby but.....I am here and so I will enjoy it while I can!

The coolest thing I saw here were the whale sharks. The new Georgia Aquarium has 4 of them and they are HUGE! The small female is 17 feet long!!!!! And the Beluga Whales are the funniest creatures ever--they saw us standing at one of the provate viewing areas from the event space and were flipping and spinning and showing off. SO cool!

We are here for site visits for my annual conference. Over dinner, we discussed the 2 cities I have visited and the pros/cons of each for the conference. I mentioned that DC (our "home" city) is still a great candidate and that in the small office survey, ranked pretty high (higher than Atlanta actually). The biggest pro for DC was the room rate (its not a cheap town!). His reason for taking DC off the "look-at-list": what the staff thinks is irrelevant. Ummm....what?!?!?! SO I am staff so does my opinion count or is it only his? If so, what the hell am I here for!? Ugh, so annoying! Whatever....I am putting the data together and I will make sure my thoughts are known on all the cities. I am a professional meeting planner so you would think he would value my opinion.

But all in all, great trip. I am looking forward to getting home for some hugs and kisses from my little Grace and her fabulous daddy!!!

Now, I am leaving you here on the internet and heading up to my townhouse suite at the hotel. Seriously, my hotel room is 2 floors and is bigger than my 3 bedroom townhouse in college was. The jacquzzi tub in this room is as big as the master bathroom at my house and there are too many flat screen LCD tvs...I cant watch them all!! LOVE this job!!! :)

Fathers and Daughters

Kara over at CapeBuffalo started a Mother's Day collaboration and now has added a Father's Day collaboration and so I am crashing the party with my Father's Day post.

Fathers and daughters have a romance

That goes on for the rest of their lives,

Destined to ripen and age as they dance

Through the days of their husbands and wives.

Up near the surface their love is distinct,

Like a garden surveyed in the sun,

In which seedtime and full bloom are credibly linked

By a consciousness shared and hard won.

Deep down below,

where the world is a dream,

And the dream is a world of its own,

All manner of memories the moments redeem

In a place where one's never alone.

-Author Unknown

I am a Daddy's girl. Always have been and always will be. Grace had her Daddy wrapped around her little pinky finger from the moment she was born.

There is something so special about fathers and daughters. Before Hubby came into my life, Daddy was the only man to ever love me unconditionally. He taught me what to look for in a partner and what I wanted for my own children in a parent. My dad, while he didnt always agree with me, never left me to myself; he was always there to guide me, to celebrate my successes, and to pick up the pieces of myself when I failed. Even more amazing is seeing my daddy with my baby----pulls the heartstrings every time! He was and still is my hero.

I see the same thing happening with Hubby and Grace. Whenever he walks into a room, her face lights up. She hugs him tighter, kisses him more, and he loves her completely. When he was away in Europe, Grace talked about Daddy from the moment she woke up and it was always the last thing she said at bedtime. The look on her face when he got off the plane was priceless!

Hubby is a fantastic father. He protects, provides, plays, and most importantly, loves his family so deeply.

Isnt it amazing to watch your partner/husband/etc turn from the guy you used to go partying with on Friday night to the man who carries your sleepy child to her bed every night!? I fall in love with Hubby more and more every time I see the two of them together.

Happy Father's Day to all the daddies out there.

Hubby--I love you. Grace loves you. Thank you for all that you do for us. You are our hero.

The Amazing Race to Louisville

(((Forewarning---this could get to be a long story but trust me---its worth it!)))

We won!!!

Arriving at the airport early is key to easy travel in DC airports and so we attempted to check in at the ticket counter 2 hours prior to flight time. That was 12 noon. After the electronic checker-inner refused us, we found a human (imagine THAT!) to help.

Southwest canceled our flight.

The next flight was at 4:30 pm and would arrive in Louisville at 6ish. Well, at that point, we realized that the 5 pm appointments we had set up at the Marriott just werent going to happen! The airline rep had no real solution for us except to go to the gate and put our names on the priority wait list for the 4:30 plane. Easy enough so off we went to stand in a 15 minute line at security only to have to be told by the guard that, yes, in fact we did need a boarding pass for a flight that we cant board to get to the gate in order to MAYBE be put on a wait list. Umm, okay.

So with security pass in hand (read: boarding pass for a non-existent flight!), we went through security where we were chosen to go through the special contraption that blows air puffs on you to detect any strange chemicals, etc. Cheap thrills in that thing and it looks like a Mystic Tanning booth. We get to the gate and stand in another line and end up the proud owners of spots 68 and 69 on the PRIORITY wait list for the 4:3o pm plane (it is 1:00 at this point!). But no fear, there is Fells Point Brew Pub right next to the gate. Yeah....not a brew pub because all it consisted of was 2 kegs and 5 folding tables. Seriously.....it was a SAD excuse for a brew pub. Well, we found ourselves a real bar at the other end of the terminal and sat down for a glass of wine and a 3 hour wait to find out if we had to wait another 4 hours for the 8 pm plane out of Baltimore.

Just as I was about to order a cold glass of Chardonnay, our contact in Louisville calls and tells us to RUN as fast as we can to the US Airways counter......on the other side of the entire airport. You see, there was a 2:05 flight to Pittsburgh and then, after an hour and a hlaf layover, we would arrive in Louisville at 6 pm. Perfect! So off we run (again) across the airport (again) i nthe hopes that the ticket counter had not closed the flight yet. At 1:25 pm, we get to the ticket counter and ask one of the men standing behind the counter to help us. Seriously....he looked at us with a blank stare and turned his back to us to help some other person who did NOT need assistance. Ummm, okay. Apparently, he missed the lessons of customer service in the training class. After waiting for 5 minutes (not that we had time to spare), an older man helped us and yes, we could buy the tickets as long as there were no bags to check. Nope....because we had already checked my friend's luggage on the 4:30 plane to Louisville---the plane we were not on. (((are you confused yet!?))) The nice man tells us we can make it all the way to gate D45 if we hurry through sercurity and run down the hallways starting at gate D1. As he tells us to hurry, he was typing with one finger at the rate of 1 letter every 10 seconds. Once on the plane (they closed the plane door after us!), things should have calmed down.

Nope.

We landed in Pittsburgh with an hour and a halk layover. Ironically enough, my mother landed in Pittsburgh 10 minutes before us on a work trip so I give her a call and she is at baggage claim. So, off we go again, running through ANOTHER airport so that we could say hi to my mom. It took us 10 minutes to get from gate A2 to baggage claim...no bad considering we had to get on a subway style tram for 2 stops. As I stepped off the escalator at baggage claim, I make the phone call that started the tears (not from sadness but from pure irony and humor of the day)......

Me: Hi Mom. We are at baggage claim. Where are you?
Mom: Oh hi honey. I am in the car now. Bye.
Me: Ummm---what?! I just got here.
Mom: Yea I know. I have to go. Bye. click

My mom ditched me in the Pittsburgh airport.

Back to security (this is round 3 of the day for us). There is an alternative security place in Pittsburh so we thought we would try that one since the main checkpoint had a 30 minute line. Well, the alternate checkpoint requires that you walk upstairs, out of the airport, across the street, down a ramp, through 5 or 6 doors that say "Secure Area--Badges required" but the doors open for anyone, and then finally you arrive at a security checkpoint....with the air puffer thing AGAIN. We were the safest people in the air this week with all the checkpoints we went through!!!!

But at the end of the day, we made it to Louisville via Pittsburgh and only 3 hours late. AND we beat my friend's luggage there.

So, I guess you could say that we won our own "Kentucky Derby" this week!!!

Kid Eats Baby

The Scene: Last night, in the family room. Hubby on the floor playing with Grace. Me on the couch reading Parents Magazine.

Me: Wow, look how big Grace has gotten.
Hubby: I know!
Me: No seriously. She is like a real kid now. No more baby.
Hubby: I know!
Me: Where did our baby go?!
Hubby: I think this kid ate her.

Yep....that must be what happened!!!! :o)



I am leaving today for Louisville, KY.

Work trips are usually a lot of work and only a little bit of play time. Well, tonight is play time! Heading out to Fourth Street Live, the new entertainment district for some adult beverages and exploring. Hey---I need to make sure that all the conference attendees will have places to relax after spending all day at the meeting! Its my DUTY to make sure that all the establishments serve appropraite margaritas and pina coladas and martinis. :o)

Tomorrow is all work. Site visits at the convention center, all the surrounding hotels, and the landmark Louisville places----Churchill Downs, Muhammad Ali Center, etc, etc, etc. And dont forget about the Kentucky Bourbon distillerys!!!!

Cant wait to see Louisville. I have never been there but have heard many good things. We shall see!

Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau put together some REALLY funnt web-mmericals and I HAVE to share this one with everyone I know. Seriously, a great depiction of what a meeting planner must go through sometimes! HAHAHAHA! Daydream: Has This Ever Crossed Your Mind?

Tears

The tv channel wouldnt change and so she cried. Her barrette fell out of her hair and so she cried. Mommy was using the hair dryer and so she cried. She cried just for the hell of it. She didnt want to cuddle and then she did and so she cried. The gate at the bottom of the stairs wasnt completely shut and so she cried. The cat got inside and so she cried. 1 single Cherrio fell out of her baggie and so she cried. The stuffed animal she left in her car seat was warm this morning from the sun and so she cried. The light was red for too long and so she cried. She didnt want to go to day care and so she cried. She didnt want to give Mommy a hug goodbye because she was too busy hugging Day Care-ista and so she cried.

That, my friends, was my morning. Seriously, Grace cried from the time she woke up until....well, she was crying when I left her at day care. Nothing was wrong. I checked the normal things....diaper, hungry, thirsty, boo-boo....but nothing was wrong. She just cried constantly all morning long. Which made me feel like crap for not knowing what was the matter.....could she alrady be having those "Girl Days" when all you want to do is cry for no reason!? Or is there something wrong that I dont know about? Its so frustarating because there are some things she can tell me.....what she wants to eat or drink or what toys to play with....but she cant tell me what is wrong now.

Seriously, it broke my heart and left me with some of my own tears this morning to leave her at day care like that. Her eyes were all puffy and red from crying and she was so sad, for no reason. I could hear her crying as I walked down the driveway. As soon as I was safe in my own car, I let a few tears go too. Maybe this was a day I should have played hooky and stayed home with my little girl. Maybe she is trying to tell me something. I just dont know.

But I bet you that this afternoon when Hubby goes to pick her up, she will cry all over again....at the thought of going home. She is in this cycle----cry when Mommy/Daddy leaves in the morning and then cry because she has to go home at the end of the day.

Any ideas?!?!!? Nothing has really changed in her little world except Hubby's trip. He was gone for 11 days and she had me all to herself. Now, he is home (thank God!) and her schedule is shifting back to normalcy. Could that be causing all this crying?! I would have thought that the switch to her regular schedule would calm her, not turn her into a miniature drama queen!!!

Hiting is no good!

I have so many pregnancy and newborn care facts in my head that I cant seem to get a handle on all the toddler facts. And I am beginning the feel like its spiraling out of control!!!

I read every pregnancy and newborn care book at Barnes and Noble when I was pregnant. Every week, I would proudly tell the Hubby what was going to happen next and how to deal with it. When friends get pregnant, I pass around my library of books and I love to talk about all those little know facts about pregnancy (hello?? no one told me about the leg cramps in the middle of the night or the clumsiness!). Newborn care was that way too---whereever I was, so was my Dr. Sears book or the "Baby Bible"---What To Expect..... I have them all---...When Expecting, ...In the First Year....In the Toddler Years. The first two books have broken spines, highlighter marks, and have been left outside a number of times in rain storms after being carried through the house with me. The Toddler Years.....yea, I read the first 2 or 3 chapters. The spine looks new and I am not sure that my highlighter has been introduced to that book yet. Which brings me to the current issue at home........Hiting.

Grace has become the "Hiter" at day care!!! It started recently at day care but she has been hiting at home whenever she is frustarated or not the center of attention. Seriously....day care said she is hiting everyone---her friends, toys, the swingset, the day careista, and even the babies. Not hard but still....she shouldnt be hiting. She wont "use her words" and she just gets madder if you tell her to do so! In the mornings, she hits Day Care-ista because she doenst want Mommy to leave. But in the afternoon, Grace hits me when i pick her up because she wants to stay at day care.

Could this be happening because Daddy is gone? Routines changed during his trip and she misses him a ton. Or is it her age? or is my baby girl turning into a the "spoiled only child" at day care who hits when she doesnt get her way?!!!?

Everyone keeps telling me "Oh, she's 2. It happens" or "Welcome to the Terrible Twos!". Well, that is all fine and dandy but its so overwhleming frustarating for me. I cant even describe how it makes me feel other than crazy/mad/pissed/like a failure/totally and completely unable to handle a child over the age of 1. Amalah desribed it perfectly actually so go see her and that about sums up with this feels like for me!

I am not prepared for this. I am terrified. Every other issue (thrush, jaundice, ear infections, diaper rash, walking, etc), I could handle all of it. I had read the books and knew what to do next. But now that she is a toddler and needs discipline, I am lost.

I dont think spanking is the right choice for this one (why spank a child dor hiting? isnt it the same thing?) but the "Naughty Step" isnt working anymore. Day care doesnt do timeouts and I feel that we need to be disciplining in similiar (if not the same) style for consistency. I am a champ at baby care but not sure how this toddler thing is working out right now. I am totally overwhelmed with the discipline issue.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated. Or just let me know I am not alone in this crazy toddler place....it does get easier, doesnt it? I hope. Please tell me it does....I am begging you!!!

Seriously? Seriously!!

Ever notice how the most innocent meaning comment can get you in a total rage!? Yea, thats what happened.

The Hubby called from France (very well trained---has called at least once a day since he has been there) and we chatted about the hiting stuff with Grace (story for tomorrow's post but she is hiting the other kids at day care!) and about what my plans were for this weekend. Well, long story short, I told him my mom is picking up Grace from day care on Friday so I can do some errands without having to drag the 2 year old with me and then Saturday, after spending the day at the fair with me and Catherine, Grace is going to spend the night with my Mom so I can have a girls night out. Seriously....his response? "Oh I am surprised that you are having your Mom pick her up on Friday since she will be with her on Saturday. Dont you want to spend time with Grace?". Ummmm, HELLO!!!! I have been with Grace constantly for 11 days (except when I am sitting at my desk) and I am entitled to some girl time.

He mentioned that I have been "having the girls over and partying all week." Yea. that is EXACTLY what this temporarily-single-mom has been doing. Yes, the girls have come over several times since Hubby has been in Europe but not to party. I am lonely and they are being damn good friends by entertaining me so I dont have to sit in the big empty house all by myself. If a few martinis or pina coladas were drunk while they were at the house, that does NOT constitute partying in my book.

While you, my dear Hubby, have been touring the world famous vineyards of Spain and France, I have handled numerous tantrums and discipline issues with the 2 year old, made dinners, cleaned up dinners, cleaned the house at least once daily, have done ALL the laundry in the house, and oh yeah, kept myself reasonably sane, and falling asleep at 11 pm every night lonely as hell because there is no one but a 2 year old to talk to in the house. Dont forget that I was also working my normal full time schedule at the office. SO take your $500 bottle of wine and SHOVE IT!!!!

ARGH! Whatever.

Why does that little comment bug me so badly? Dont know but it does and now I am irritated at the Hubby who is thousands of miles away!!!!

((BTW---errands tonight? Going to Frederick's to get Hubby a nice little sexy surprise! THAT will show him to not make stupid comments!)

The Shoe Queen

Seriously....how FAST can a toddler's feet grow!?!?!?

At the end of May, Grace was wearing size 7 toddler shoes. Yesterday, I looked down at her cute flower sandals and realized that her big toe was hanging out the front of her shoe. DAMN! So off to Target we went for new shoes. Of course, she had to find every pair of Dora the Explorer shoe they carried this week; we ended up with 2 pairs of them....in size 8!!!! All the size 7 shoes went into the "Grown out of Shoes" box that I keep in her closet.


(Sidenote: Mama Chix---I am mailing that box to you!!!!)



I have been told countless times that babies/kids grow out of clothes so fast. I never really thought that shoes would be the true culprit to my depricating bank account. At least her clothes will last through a season.....this is round 2 of the spring/summer shoes!



Oh well. Every girl needs cute shoes and now Grace has adorable little shoes that will fit her for 3 or 4 weeks!

Pooka the Ferret

I have a ferret in my house!

Long story but the short one is that someone on my street lost their pet ferret. They put flyers up and I happened to see one yesterday when I was walking with Grace to see the horses at the end of the road. The only reason I remember it is because the flyer said the ferret's name was Pooka---who names their ferret "Pooka"!? Anyways, that was the last I thought of it until..........

Sitting on the back deck with 2 of my bestest girl friends (they came over for dinner to keep me company!) and all of the sudden, my dog Jake (who is 15 and is the oldest man I have ever met!!!) took off running, arthiritis and all, after something. Once we caught up with the dog, we saw the ferret peeking out from under the deck. POOKA!!! I hate rodents and all things related to them so I wouldnt touch it but my friends are much braver than I. We got the ferret into a box and then realized the thing can gnaw through boxes and the like. So off to the garage for the OLD cat carrier. We got Pooka into the carrier and into the basement the carrier went. I figured then if he got out of the carrier, he would be trapped in the basement and not running wild through my rodent-free house!

Back to the flyer. I didnt take it down and there were no more in the neighborhood. I ran to a couple neighbor's houses to see if they had the flyer, just by chance...you never know! No one was home and none of the kids who were still awake knew of anyone on the street with a ferret (I had made the assumption that a kid was missing their new pet ferret!). I even made up my own flyers that read "We Found The Ferret. Pooka is safe. Call Jaime at XXX-XXXX" and hung them on all the stop signs on my street.

And so now I sit here, typing this post, with Pooka in a cat carrier in my basement and NO idea of what to do with him!

UPDATE: ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS CALLED AND SAID SHE FOUND THE FLYER (SHE TOOK IT DOWN BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO HAVETHE NUMBER IN CASE HER 2 HUGE DOGS GOT THE FERRET. THE FERRET WAS PICKED UP FROM ME JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO! POOKA IS HOME!

Half Way There!

I am a little sad today.

The hubby has been in Europe (click here and here and here for an idea of where he is---lucky guy!) for 5 nights now. The first few nights were so lonely---one person should not have to sleep in a king size bed by herself!!! This past weekend, I didnt know what to do with myself or Gracie so we visited everyone we knew would be home. I even went to my parents (my idea!) for dinner and some adult conversation. If you know me in real life, you know that an occurence such as me spending time with my mom because I WANT to is indeed a rare occurence!

So the reason I am a little sad today? When I woke up this morning, I realized that I was kind of getting used to not having Hubby around. I miss him a ton (both him and all the things I now realize he does around the house!) and I hate that I am kind of used to a big empty house for just me, Grace, and the dog. I hate that it feels normal to do all the parenting things this week by myself. And last night, it almost felt normal to sleep in the bed alone.

I hate this. Counting today, I have 5 1/2 days until he is home again! I am half way through!

One for the Road!!!

Way back in March, a bunch of friends and us went to see the Blue Collar Comedy Tour in DC. We knew the shows were being taped for the latest DVD so of course, we got the best seats we could and hoped and prayed and wished that we would end up on the DVD. Well, people, last night was the premiere of the show on Comedy Central.

Seriously....I watched half of it (hey---it was midnight and this mom just couldnt keep her eyes open any longer!) and I did see us a few times. Granted, they were far away crowd shots and the only reason I saw my group was because I knew exactly where we were sitting, what we were wearing, and all that. But still, we are on there!! YIPEE! Another friend of mine watched the entire show and swears she saw one of my girlfriends (we refer to her in Internet-land as SuperGirl on KBFixit!) clear as day!! Pretty cool!

DVD comes out tomorrow so grab your sleeping bag and go camp out in front of Best Buy/Tower Records/Blockbuster/your video place of choice and buy the DVD. Its hysterical!!!! Where else can you get Redneck Fashion Tips straight from Jeff Foxworthy!?!?!?

3 days down....6 to go!

I have a whole new kind of respect for women who raise their kids without daily help from their husbands/spouses/whatever word fits here. The hubby has been gone for 3 days now on his work trip and I am exhausted, stressed, and lonely.

Baby-care books always tell new moms to relax; that the baby can feel mom's tenshion/stress/emotions. Yea, I always beleived that but this week has proven it beyond a reasonable doubt for me. Without the hubby around, I have been a tad more on edge than usual and have definintely been a little more needy. I need more time to complete any task, I need more help than I thought, and most importantly, I need more hugs and kisses and cuddles from my baby girl. Grace is up to that task. She has constantly said "I wuv wu Mommy" and gives me as many kisses as I want.

Our daily lives are so busy between both our careers, taking care of our little girl and 2 animals, and trying to stay on top of the house cleaning, bills, and all the other life things. After only 3 days of "temporary single motherhood", I realize how much I depend on the hubby to balance my life. He is the support that I crave and the only person in the world who makes me feel complete; there is no loneliness when he is around me. I am totally capable of handling things on my own but man, I dont want to!!! I miss walking through the door and seeing him playing with the dog and baby after work. I miss setting the table while he is outside manning the grill for dinnertime. I miss the daily chit-chat after work ("How was your day? Fine. And yours?"). There is no one to chat with randomly as I clean rooms and fold laundry and make dinner. (PS---Eating dinner alone in front of the tv is SO overrated!)

And so, tonight, after I stop filling the time cleaning the bedrooms, I wil crawl into my big empty bed and fall asleep, hugging the hubby's pillow, and start couting the days til he comes home.

As Promised.....

Pictures from my sister's wedding 2 weeks ago.

Me, my mom, and my sister before the wedding started.

Can you tell we are related?! Seriously!

Here I am, in all my PINK glory. The dresses do look great in pictures.

And last night, I realized what the dress reminds me of....Marilyn Monroe singing "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend".

My hubby looked so handsome in his tux.

AND that is actually the tux he wore when we got married.

Here they are, the newlyweds walking down the aisle.

I love this picture---you can just feel how happy and excited they are!

And here is the prettiest, funniest flower girl ever! Once the dance floor opened, Grace was so happy boogying all night long.

She even tried to cut in during my sister's Daddy-Daughter dance!

1 Mom, 1 Toddler, and 11 days!

Short post today because I really need to get some work done at this place I call my J-O-B. Especially since I am leaving early today (YIPEE). I am not leaving to relax or to go shopping or to enjoy time off. I still have to call into the staff meeting this afternoon and still have 30 pages of proposals to read! But I have to take the hubby to the airport so at 12:30---I am outta here!

The hubby is going to France and Spain on a work trip----11 days in wine country. What a tough job he has!!! :) He will be visiting some of the greatest wineries in the world and get paid to do it!!

While I am really excited for him (what a cool opportunity!), I am a little nervous if I am going to be able to hold up as a "temporarily only parent". Yes, I am a good mom but 11 days ALONE WITH A 2 YEAR OLD!!?!?!?!?!? That just might be my breaking point!!!! :) Grace is such a good kid but I would be joking if I didnt admit that the next 2 weeks make me a little scared. I wont have the hubby to help after work, wont have anyone to chat with during commercials, and who the heck am I going to steal all the covers from at night??? I am trying to schedule some fun "out of the house" activities for Grace just so I can interact with other people besides myself and the dog.

So, the next 2 weeks should be interesting for me and my Gracie. Can't wait to see what Daddy brings home for his 2 girls!!

Honey----ILY! (If you are reading this!)