Blogstalking Week 6: The Cat Ate My Daily Routine

Actually, my laptop's wireless connection crapped out, so until the new wireless card arrives, I'm on the big boy computer, which my camera does not connect to. I mean, I can TELL you about the neverending circle of cleaning, wiping, and diaper changing, but I really think it would be more thrilling in picture form, so allow me to revisit this topic later. Until then, mah girl OLPP made up a Halloween meme of her very own, so I'll do that instead

1. Do you believe in ghosts?
I think so. Nice, comforting ones that come to tell me messages of love.

2. Have you ever seen a ghost?
I don't think so.

3. Have you ever experienced something that is best described by the word “paranormal”?
Well, I was thinking about my grandparents and my father one night and said to myself that it would be nice if they could communicate with me, and my son's Learn N Groove table starting singing the ABC song over and over for an hour. If you watch any John Edward Cross Country, you'll know that the dead relatives with whom you wish to converse will communicate with you via electronics, so I'm taking it that way.

4. Do you watch any ghost or haunting themed shows?
Does VH1's Celebrity Paranormal Project or whatever it's called count? If so, then yes.

5. If so, do you sometimes sleep with the lights on or wake up your partner because the show scared you a whole lot and you can’t sleep and don’t want to be awake alone?
That show is totally the opposite of scary.

6. Have you ever been to a supposedly haunted place? If so, did you experience anything spooky?
I did the ghost tour of Old Town Alexandria. I didn't like it, but I don't really like being out on any street after dark. I'm more afraid of muggers than ghosts.

7. How much do you love Halloween?
SO MUCH! Candy! Costumes! Babies in costumes! Trick or treating! Pumpkin carving! I have a whole Halloween menu planned out this year. I can't wait until Little Man is REALLY old enough to appreciate all the fun!

Ok! Take this meme! Put it on your blog! And then let me know if you did because I want to read aaaaaaaall about it!!

Blogstalking Week 5: Let's Play Statue. I lose.

Here you go, friends. I don't know much about it, and I am no good at feeding people a line of bs about what the art says to me, so I'll tell you that this is a sculpture of a two-headed duck, found on the college campus we live near. We pass it on our walks, and the kids flip out. My son, in particular, has a duck obsession, and it appears that he likes it. I think it's a little kooky, but it's cute. Fits the week's assignment, and that's good too.

Ok, that's really all I have to say about the statue. I went to Stitches East, want to see my yarn?
Here's the picture with the least amount of cat.
OK, from left to right--

• 2500 yds of Interlacements Spider Web in a pretty solid Frenchy blue
• Baruffa Cashwool laceweight in chocolate, my current favorite yarn
• Lisa Souza Baby Alpaca/Silk in Poiple
• Blue Moon Fiber Arts Bambu in Hoofle Floofle. What a name!
• Underneath, Blue Moon Fiber Arts Laci in Sapphire. Yes, I know they look almost the same, but the Sapphire is very variegated and the other is very solid. So I like blue. What's your point?
• Blue Moon Fiber Arts Geisha in Backstabber. LOVE

I also checked out a new yarn store near my mom, that I love love LOVE. I'll post about them too. LOVE. Nature's Yarns in Fairfax, near the intersection of 29 and Jermantown. Go, NOVA residents!

Blogstalking Week 4: Three I Love, Three I Hate

OK. One thing I hate is ginumbo unknown bug creatures that lurk under the Bounce and Spin Zebra, only to be found when the can of Puffs that I thought was empty suddenly bursts open, spewing Puffs hither and yon. I hate ginumbo bug creatures even more when they require TWO flushes to leave. Nothing should crawl back up the plumbing (FYI: Never flush cockroaches.)





What do I love? I love playing dress up.
Not me dressing up as much as my absolutely adorable little one.







What else do I hate? People that are absolutely ugly and awful online. I mean, I really hope it's just online, because really, the things some people say online...if they said it in real life, they'd be sociopaths, I'm pretty sure. You're totally entitled to your opinion, wrong though it may be, but I'm also entitled to think that you're a troll and a douchebag for voicing it and ganging up with other like-minded sociopaths for some talk that should not exist in civilized society.

Another thing I love? Reality television. Well, not all of it. I do, however, love Project Runway, Top Chef, America's Next Top Model, Iron Chef....basically, if you take pretty people or food and turn it into a competition, there's a good chance I'll be there weekly.

One more hate. Group work. Having to build a 3D model of a larynx for AN ONLINE CLASS.

One more love? Good News! My BFF Kathy (LOLZZ!!11!!!! Just for you, miss!) got a job before she's even finished with her teaching program. Of course she did! She's brilliant and talented, and a great lover of small people, and any school district that didn't recognize that deserves a skillet to the face. Also, my cousin's husband's PET scan looks good! His chemo is working and soon they'll be able to return to their nice, normal, boring life. (Right, Jess?) Other good news? I'm going to STITCHES EAST this weekend, with my lovely yarn-enabling mom. So much fun. Can't wait!!!

Next week. Go vote for statues.

Blogstalking Week 3: My Ride

I love my car. It looks a mess in these pictures, but it's actually on the clean side for it. I do have two strollers in the back. One is a big one with a tray, the other is an umbrella stroller. I met a friend the other day and threw the little one in there in case she wanted to borrow it. Plus, this way I don't need to worry about them getting stolen off the porch. There's diapers, toys, cell phones, change, Boppys (I never learned how to nurse without one. I also can't nurse lying down. You'd think I'd have figured those things out eventually.), backpack carriers, water bottles, directions, etc.

One great thing about my car that I didn't take pictures of because it would have involved a lot of stroller juggling and I didn't feel like doing that, is that it comes with a picnic table for tailgating! You take all the stuff out of the trunk, lift up that little floorboard, and there's a little table all folded up under there. Under the picnic table is where I keep my emergency battery recharger and my tire jack.

There's a lot of stuff, but I prefer it this way. I've very rarely been caught without something that I need. If I am, I take note and add it. I'd much rather carry around a bunch of stuff than be inconvenienced, PARTICULARLY with a small child. Anything too clean and organized feels sterile and unwelcoming to me.

Do I like my CR-V? In short, I love it. It's the greatest car. It's...seven years old? and still gets well over 30 miles to the gallon. We are a Honda family. My first car was an '89 Civic, my sister just traded her CR-V in for a Civic Hybrid, and my mom drives a Pilot. We've had the WORST luck with anything unHonda, so I'm a loyal customer. I plan on driving this into the ground, and then I'd love another one, or to upgrade to the Pilot.

So, there you go. You'll likely see 35 cars that look just like mine on the next trip you take, whether to Canada or to the grocery store, and now, you can wonder if it's me in there. If it is, honk! I'll wave! That one finger thing? Also a wave! I learned how to drive in DC!

Blog Stalking Week 2: Purse Guts

Wow, my blog's about to fall over. I've never paid it this much attention before.

OK, so this was fun. I've always been known for carrying random, random, RANDOM things in my purse. It's been an icebreaker at something I've attended three times, and I've one every time. For those wins, I was carrying a pair of socks (CLEAN!), a cat toy, and a pack of lunchmeat turkey. I think they were at college orientation and a few teaching conferences, so not really places where I would need any of those things.

So, here goes.

Here's my purse. Nice little Vera Bradley shoulder bag with a zipper...I think it's a Betsy, if you're into such things.











Open it up, and you see this.















Then spread it all out on the coffee table and it looks like this.
So what is all this? I wrote it down for you:
Snack Trap, knitting project (Jumbo Elephant from Knitted Toys, swish dk and Harmony needles that I glued to myself the other day) my headband from Pretty Pretty, a ball, a turkey, a giraffe, a duck wearing a lei, a cube, a Koosh, Wee Sing for Halloween songbook, a knit sock, my wallet, a bag of hair, sun lotion, a baby fork, a baby spoon, my iPod (it's a dinosaur!), a phillips head screwdriver, my keys, my cell phone, my husband's wallet, a bag of wipes, insect repellant wipes, Gold Bond anti itch, a tampon, a sewing kit, a Red Robin kids contest entry form, purple toenail polish, Phyto, 3 hair ties, a contact lens, hotel face soap, hotel body soap, an Ann Taylor Loft coupon, and a pen.

What?

Oh, and the bag of hair? Because of this new look here:

Blog Stalking Week 1: Who I Am

And my Secret Pal is.....

Emilee!!! Look at this great package I got!







Two delicious candy bars (MAN, those things are good), a pack of Burt's Bees treats, mmmmmmmalabrigo (NOW I get what the big deal is about! I love that yarn) and a Nautie.

Little Man wants to show you how much he likes Nautie, right up close.

Actually, I tried to get a picture of him sitting with Nautie, but he decided he would rather play with the camera than pose, so this is what we get. He brought Nautie with him. Maybe Nautie was supposed to take the picture. I don't know.

SO Malabrigo is FABulous. It's still wound up in the skein for now, and I'm just petting it, looking for the perfect project. I'm going to make something for me, I know that. I'm just not sure what. The color is gorgeous. It's called Holly Hock. Love, love, love.

So thank you, Miss Emilee. You are the best!