the times they are a changin'

Ten years ago today I was in New Orleans, celebrating The Millenium with my then-boyfriend, John, and a bunch of friends. We had rented a carpool van and roadtripped down from the DC area...a move that seemed like it would be fun at the time. However, 23 hours in a van is just never as great as you'd think it's gonna be.

Today, I spent some time in New Orleans as well. If by "spent some time," you mean caught the matinee for "The Princess and the Frog" (which I totally do). It got me to thinking about how different my life is now then it was back then. I mean I started out this decade a single party girl living right outside the city. Now? I'm a married mom of two way way way out there in the 'burbs.

To that end, here's all the major milestones I've reached in the last 10 years. Kind of crazy, huh?

In the past decade, I...

• got engaged.
  
• got married.
  
• got laid off.
  
• got a new job.
  
• broke my arm in a freak ski lift accident, requiring surgery to insert two steel plates.
  
• bought a house.
  
• got pregnant.
  
• had E.
  
• turned 30.
  
• sold our house, and moved to a new one.
  
• got pregnant (again).
  
• got laid off (again).
  
• got a new job (again).
  
• watched my sister get married.
  
• had A.
  
• missed watching my brother-in-law getting married (because we just had A).
  
• became a SAHM.
  
• went back to work.
  
• started this blog.
  
• gained a few pounds.
  
• went to Ireland.
  
• lost those pounds (plus a few extra that were hanging around from A and E).
  
• went to Disney World.
  
• became an aunt of a niece.
  
• became the mom of a kindergartener.
  
• turned 35.
  
• became an aunt of a nephew.
  

Certainly it was an exciting decade, and I can't wait to see what the next one brings.

Happy New Year to you all!

'twas the night before christmas...

And the Slacker hosue is all a-bustle. Kiki, Uncle Steve and AJ are visiting. Most presents are wrapped (except for Santa presents, as is the tradition in our house). We're headed to my parents for Christmas Eve, and then they are heading over here for Christmas Day. Should be fun!

Hope you have a happy holiday!

 

regifted

"Mama, I drew you a picture!" E said to me.
"Oh, wow, E. That's a beautiful fish," I replied.
"Yes! And I wrote your name on it so you know it's yours!" E said.

 

"Hey...wait a minute! Isn't that A's name under that black scrible?"
"Yes, mommy. I was going to give her the picture, but she broke a crayon and made me mad. So, I'm giving it to you!"

shovelpalooza

So, we had a bit of snow this weekend.

And, by bit, I mean we got about 19 inches. It was INSANE.

John's parents and brother came in on Friday night. The weekend was spent eating (shrimp and grits! beef tenderloin!), drinking (beer! Wine! hot cocoa!) and playing in the snow. E is our snow bunny...she went out for 3 rounds on Saturday. A...not as much. She went out twice, but was in earlier. In her defense, by noon the snow was up to her knees, so basic mobility was an issue. The fact that she was bundled up like Ralphie from A Christmas Story didn't help, either.

John's family did get out okay on Sunday morning (apparently our HOA fees do pay for something! private plowing!). We were able to finish digging out thanks to our neighbor who had a snow blower!

School's out today (and many districts around us have canceled through the week). I've got Kid Duty, so I thought we'd make a healthy breakfast of Sweet Pea Chef's Whole Wheat Pancakes....except we added 1/2 a bag of chocolate chips to them.

We're probably going to hit up Target and Wegmans, and do some playing in the snow, too. Thank goodness we finished up our Christmas shopping last week...'cause I have a suspicion that sneaking things into the house will be a little tough to do this week.

battle royale

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is playing Ornament Wars with my sister. You see, my parent's tree still contains many of our crappy homemade ornaments from when we were little girls. Kiki made a really cute sleeping mouse in a walnut that always gets prime placement. That same year, I made The Christmas Turd, which is supposed to be a brown mouse in a Santa hat, but even I can admit it wasn't my finest work.

But the ornament we play Ornament Wars with is a construction paper wreath with a glued on bow and sequins...with a picture of Kiki circa 1983 in the wreath hole. Yep...smack dab in the middle is a picture in her Dorothy Hamill/bi-level glory in an outfit that involved a monogrammed sweater and blue corduroy KNICKERS (seriously! I couldn't have made it up if I tried.)

To play the game, once the tree is decorated, Kiki moves the ornament to the front and center of the tree. And, I move it to the way way way back of the tree that faces the wall. Every time we pass the tree, we perform our little cat and mouse game. We try to be stealth, but usually break out into the giggles before it is rehung. It just wouldn't be Christmas without this little game we play.

And, last night, I found I had a worthy competitor at home. Even though the girls are young, they have amassed a large amount of crap ornaments already. One of A's is from last year...it's a triangle frame made of tongue depressors, with some faux gems on it, and in the middle is a picture of A...wearing a Halloween t-shirt. Because, really, nothing says Happy Holidays like an orange shirt with a witches hat and black cat (which are *clearly* visible in the picture). It's also huge.

So as we decorated our (still taking water and not dead yet!) Christmas tree last night, I moved it from the middle of the tree to a more...ahem...out of the way location. A few moments later I heard,

"Mama, I moved my ornament to where I could see it!"

Sure enough, it was back up front.

The master has become the student, indeed.

a well-deserved retirement

Dear Blue LL Bean coat,

When I bought you back in Winter 2005, I was excited. E needed a winter coat and I stumbled upon you. You were on super sale. You were blue, which meant you could be passed down to a baby sister or brother, should we have one in the future. You arrived just in time for the first really cold day and I bundled up my toddler in you. I liked you so much, in fact, that you made the 2005 Slacker Christmas card.


E wore you again in 2006, but since I had an itty bitty baby A around, I didn't get any pictures of you while E frolicked outside. I guess the picture-worthy frolicking was kept to a minimum.

In 2007, you were passed down to my now-toddler A. (E got a newer, bigger and pinker coat!) She looked just as cute in you as her big sister did.

And last year, A wore you yet again. We got snow that winter and you helped keep her toasty warm.

 

But a few weeks ago, I had the girls try on their winter coats. Your sleeves did not make it all the way to A's wrists and we had a hard time getting you zipped over her potbelly. And E had outgrown her coat, too. So, I placed an order for a new (purple! not pink! can you believe it!?!?!) coat for E...and A gets the pink coat now.

You did get one last hurrah before your well-deserved retirement. It snowed last weekend. Since the new coat hadn't arrived, A put you on to play in the snow. You did great out there, and I'm *sure* that she wasn't the first one in because her forearms were cold. (I'd show you pictures of A wearing you, but I've already bemoaned how the camera battery was dead.)

So thank you, blue coat. I have so many fond memories of you! And I'll try not to dwell on the fact that neither of my babies are small enough to wear you any more.

the day the camera battery died

We had a fun-filled Friday night. I took E to a birthday party for a classmate at local Pump It Up! (Feel free to say that in SNL Hanz and Franz style: PUMP (clap) IT UP!.) During that time, John took A on a Daddy date. We regrouped at home, and after the girls went to bed, John and I watched DVRed episodes of "Castle" (which is just AWESOME...watch it!) while drinking Layer Cake wine.

On Saturday morning, we woke up bright and early to head out to A's Holiday Program. And by "bright and early", I mean we had to be there by 9AM. Seriously. The one day a week we can sleep in, I had to set the alarm to make sure we were out of the house on time. Ugh.

Anyhoo, A wasn't at all nervous, and E was super-excited to see all of her old friends (most of her friends are still there because they are young 5's who missed the cut off). So, I get out my camera to commence the video and picture taking. And as I turn it on, I get this gem of a message.

Battery is empty.

So, I have no pictures of my Sweet Baby A in her winter hat and mittens shouting at the top of her lungs singing "First Skaters Waltz". She was totally unphased by the audience and was so adorable. And, except for a few fuzzy pictures John took with his Blackberry, we have no photos. Sigh. So...take a look at the pictures from E's show last year, but pretend that A is E and E is A. Also notice how both kids love them some limelight. I have no idea where they get that from.

After the show, we realized that we were about to get snowed in. The forecasters had been all over the map about the totals...but it was really coming down. So we headed to Wegmans to get provisions for the day -- fixin's for chili, ingredients for PB Kisses (inspired by Jersey Baby) and beer before heading home.

The rest of the day was spent playing in the snow, making (and eating) chili and cheddar cornbread and having some mother-daughter bonding while baking the cookies. I'd show you pictures of the fun but...

Battery is empty.

Yeah. Looks like I picked the wrong day to let that happen.

on the ball

This morning I had to stop into Target on the way into work to get dishwashing detergent and a present for a birthday party E is attending tomorrow. Lo and behold, the One Spot was chock full of Princess crap that makes wonderful stocking stuffers -- lip balm, pencils, pads of papers, crayons -- so I grabbed it for the girls. I also picked up a game that a friend of mine raved about playing with her daughter the other day.

I walked out of Target feeling so on top of things. Stocking stuffers! Presents! And it's only December 3! And, then I realized I was really was Santa Claus-ing it up. As their mom, I would have never purchased some of that stuff -- I hatehatehate when the girls have lip balm (because they apply it every 27 seconds and cake it on and get it everywhere) and I've already talked about my intense dislike of the board game. So, gooooo me!

I also finally pulled the trigger and ordered my Christmas cards. I'm super excited to get them. If you want to see our past card photos, here they are. And, to string you on just a bit more, here are a couple more shots that were *not* the money shot! Aren't you just dying to know what awesomeness surpassed these beauties?!?!?!