Leopard Spots

Been Busy...

I added a couple of widgets to my blog and completely disappeared. 

I have to be honest.

I've been a little busy with real life lately. 

Kind of inconvenient.

Work. Seriously. I work retail. What's the worst that can happen? We run out of white t-shirts?

Apparently not. 

We were one of the many businesses and homes in the area that were affected by broken water pipes after we started warming up from the deep freeze. That of course had to happen when I was the closing manager. 

It was my weekend on, which was generally uneventful. Cub had kind of a rough time on Saturday night. Nothing a little cuddling couldn't take care of. We'll follow up during her appointments today.

Kitten entertained and bonded with a former vice president at church on Sunday. Sorry, no photos. I don't name names on my blog, but if you're curious who he was, he made an unsuccessful bid for president at one point. Minnesota was the only state to vote for him. 

I looked forward to a boring yet busy day at work yesterday. And for the most part it was true. I had placed the staff for the evening. Then one of my pregnant associates wound up going to the hospital. She was just standing there cashiering and felt a gush of blood. Work got a whole lot less boring.

Today is my day off. I am thankful for this on multiple levels.

It's inauguration day. I will be cleaning the house, folding laundry and watching the television.

I need an escape from work. That used to be my drama free place. Now, not so much. 

I'm really looking forward to nap time. 

A lot. A lot. 

I'll be back with more interesting posts shortly. 

Some Momma love!

A little something for y'all. Take a break relax. I'll be right back after tearing apart the fighting leopards, administering cough medicine, getting drinks and snacks and....

Feeling the Need

This is odd. My house has been clean for a week. Laundry has been generally caught up, meaning it's not some kind over flowing disaster taking up half of my king size bed. Not really a problem, because I'm a single, but the girls have no place to hang out with their toys. 

This odd sense of domestic accomplishment feels quite spectacular considering the busy time of season, but it also seems odd. I don't know what else to do! 

The Baby and I have been listening to, ahem, Christmas music and dancing and generally being silly lately. She's watched all of her movies and played with her DVD's and their cases. Child is obsessed! 

The weather has been quite frigid lately, a wind chill of -8 is the current, so no I have not been running. I've been thinking about breaking out the Pilate's, but ugh, Cub nicknamed it Kilates and I haven't been feeling quite as enthusiastic about it since. Tomorrow, I'll run because it will hopefully be warmer. 

So instead of focusing on exercise the Baby and I have been dancing to Christmas music and being generally silly. But lazy mornings at home would not be complete without a good dose of snuggling in bed and watching movies. 

Which is exactly what The Baby and I had planned today. Except that The Baby is watching a movie in her room (don't judge!) and I was watching one in my room. But I guess I just want to write. And The Baby wants to trash the living room. Oh, my...

So I will write and try in vain to stop her from trashing the living room!

It is currently coming to the end of the year 2008. And at the end of the year I become quite contemplative. I generally am that type of person, but it magnifies during this time. I'm very deep like that. 

At the end of the considerably crappy year of 2007 I said something like, "Life will be great in 2008!"

Yes, I made a rhyme. A bad one. No, that is not like me at all. 

But I had to say something like that. 

In 2007, my marriage ended. Which was good, something I had wanted for a long time but how it ended was bad. So very, very bad. And Cub, my sweet, sweet child. It was so clear everything in our marriage had taken a toll on her and I had to deal with cognitive and developmental delays on top of it all!

Needless to say, I was overwhelmed. But I kept reminding myself to have a positive outlook. 

"Smile more than it hurts. Smile more than you want to be happy. Smile, remember the power of positive thinking."

Seriously! Looking back, I can't believe how corny I was, but additionally how it got me through!

2008 started out slow, but I've been working on my long term plans and creating a safe and happy environment for my children. They are exceedingly happy. And yes, so am I. 

In this last month of the year I am going to take the focus off of all the crazy things that the little leopards and I do and instead I will be reflecting on this great year. Yeah, it's going to get sentimental. I'm not sure if I should apologize in advance, cause we all know the mushy and sentimental is not my thing. But, it is only for like what, the next 19 days? We will all survive! 

Christmas is Fancy and Other Musings From Kitten.

My work schedule has settled down slightly this week and Kitten and I have been spending the mornings together again. This is truly my most favorite time of the day. That and the precious moments I get to spend with Cub, but she's five going on forty so they are increasingly intellectual rather than sweet. 

Somehow, Kitten has gotten word that it is the Christmas season. This scares for two reasons.

1) I did not tell her it was Christmas. Where is this child getting her information and who is this person who will paying for all her presents she is asking for now that she knows what season it is? This. Is. Scandalous!

2) It is not quite Thanksgiving yet and she is already telling me it is Christmas. She is clearly on a retail schedule. Oh, dear I am concerned for her future vocation. Not that there is anything wrong with being in retail management, I just didn't realize she settled on her vocation at such a young age! 

Aside from being scared of my daughter's extensive knowledge of Christmas we having been musing about this wonderful time of year. 

We already have our advent calender hung on the fireplace. We have never done one before, but my aunt sent this wonderful calendar our way and the girls just can not wait to start using it! 

Christmas means Holiday movies. I don't know if any of you have caught wind of it, but Kitten likes her movies. And she loves her holiday movies. Especially Polar Express, she didn't stop watching that one until February of last year!

Christmas means winter, and winter means lazy days with Momma. We love us our lazy days. Cuddling and running only a couple errands. We don't even care about our field trips to the zoo anymore, mostly cause there aren't any dolphins. 

Winter means, school breaks and adding Cub to our lazy days. Just the three of us leopards, hanging out, being our silly selves! 

And lastly, 

Winter means hot chocolate and on our lazy days we make hot chocolate for lunch with marshmallows AND whipped cream. We hate to play favorites in this house and so we use both generously!

Just so you all know, that's fancy, as in marshmallows are fancy, which means winter is fancy, which means Christmas is fancy...

Just so you all are aware! 

Guacamole Anonymous...

Hi.

My name is Momma Mac.

And I'm a Guacamaholic.

It all started innocently enough. Really. There was a time in my life when I did not even like guacamole.

I miss those days. Truly, I do. 

But as I grew up and started to appreciate the avacado, things changed...

It started as a simple little dance, you know...I just had it during lazy days by the pool in summer and perhaps you know, a few dips at a party I was at. 

And then I started making guacamole, because you know, it was yummy and I appreciated it. It started to become clear I had a problem, becuase you know I just needed to make more. Always more, go on kids keep playing, Momma needs to make the guac...

But as summer ends, so did my guacamole making. See I can (and have quit!) any time I want.

Except, these past two weeks my addiction has reared its ugly head. 

Long holiday hours have kept me away from the kiddos and at home meals and I have been scavenging the mall for the best chips and guacamole combo they have. 

EVERY DAY I WORK. 

I take my break as early as possible to find another place...

I'm hoping it's just the stress of working retail during the holiday season. Really, I am.

Or, I have a problem.

So please, help me ease my addiction, when out shopping this year be nice, you could be sending someone off the guacamole deep end! 

I was more of an Advil mom anyways...

I've only been half following my Twitter feed today and last night, but I've noticed that everyone has been really upset over this Motrin ad. Well, it can't be that bad, right? I mean no huge drug company is going to do something really stupid in how they market a drug. Surely, my twitter friends can't be correct, can they?

So I headed on over to Motrin's website and took a look-see for myself.

OH. MY. WORD!!!!!

They are freakin' kidding me!

Baby carriers/slings/pouches are not back pain causers! 

That being said, I was a mom who had two really bad pregnancies, especially the second one. Seriously, morning sickness EVERY DAY for nine months, and my hip falling out of alignment. No joke, that hurt more than the labor! So, umm, I was in pain for the majority of pregnancy number two. Which may have skewed my take on being pain free after the baby was born.

I also have to say that I have only worn a baby carrier/sling/whatever once. 

Don't judge my appearance too harshly. It was THREE WEEKS after Kitten was born!

Yeah, that didn't make my back hurt at all. So Motrin, what's up with that?

Am I not cool enough to use your drug because my baby carrier didn't make my back hurt? And honestly, I have never met a mom who has had the back aching issues that you describe from wearing a baby carrier.

Honestly, all I've ever heard is how great they are and make it so much EASIER on a mom, because she has the baby so close and doesn't need to carry the baby around. Apparently, long periods of holding a baby are much harsher on one's body than a sling!

So Motrin, get your facts straight. Talk to some real moms who are in the know. And no, I am not over-reacting because yes, your ad is offensive, but also your ad demonstrates how woefully out of touch you are with REAL MOMS!!  Until then, I was more of an Advil person anyways, so I'll stick with them.

For other Motrin giving moms a headache reaction, visits a collection of blogger mom reaction here! 

Theatre Night with the Gypsies!!

Cub and I had our first theatre night last night! Yay! 

First of all, this was the first time that Cub really got into the play. One of the reasons I started taking her was so she could learn to engage and force some cognitive thinking. Plus, it gets us away from movies and Cub can learn to appreciate something she'll only see once...and that's where we get the focus piece!

Last year, it really was a complete disaster, she didn't know where to look to see the main point of view, she didn't really understand what was going on and how plays worked, she disliked it, didn't know what the shows were about and we normally left during intermission (well, two of them anyways). 

She is a little theatre going pro now! Even offering me commentary during the performance in her all so sensible, forty year old way!

The Children's Theatre Company is located right next to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (they use the same entrance). As we walk through the MIA lobby to get to our stage we are greeted with this really cool light sculpture.

Sorry for the bad quality taken with the iPhone camera with poor lighting and no flash!

Cub loves this thing, she calls it the "sun sculpture" and it definitely gives a great start to the night!

Then off to the performance, Cub was all about her program, at least holding it since she didn't read it at all, but it made her feel important!

The really cool thing about this play was that it was produced in collaboration with Circus Juventas, a performing arts youth circus school. So it was kind of like going to the circus as well and Cub was completely awed by what those performers were doing, highlights included tightrope walking and air acrobatics. There was also a little kid who was crazy strong and flexible...it was very cool to see. 

The story line itself was pretty simple, Madeline and Pepito get lost and start traveling with the gypsies. Miss Clavel and the other 11 girls go searching, chaos ensues. So it was good that there were so many "circus" performances! 

All in all it was great night, Cub was completely tuckered out and fell asleep on our way home. She didn't even wake up when I took her into the house. She slept in her clothes! She woke up momentarily to ask, "I'm going to be in my regular clothes?'

"Yeah honey, I think you're too tired to get in your jammies."

And as I'm laying her down and covering her up with the blanket, "Yeah, I think I'm too tired for jammies."

It was the sweetest thing! 

My Amazing Weekend!!!

After twenty four years, I finally saw my big brother this weekend! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really, really excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And a few more exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's not really out of my system but I'll move on!!!

So the BB flew in this weekend to bond with his *adorable* little sister (that's me with my squinty and droopy eyes! This is why I wear sunglasses people!!), 

his super, super cute nieces (Cub and Kitten!) 

and his other brother, (that's my twin brother, and I have no photos of him :-(

Okay, okay....

On Saturday, we took the city boy to our fall favorite, Sever's Corn Maze & Fall Festival. Can you believe he has lived his whole life having never played in a corn pit??? I know. So sheltered! 

He got the hang of it pretty quick!

Cub was lovin' the corn!!!

And so did Kitten! ...She even figured out that you can't these corn kernals!!!

There is a lot to do at the maze, including going down the giant slide!

He's not used to navigating amongst the corn. Silly, silly city boy! 

After four hours with the little leopards, Big Brother was all tuckered out and had to take a two and a half hour nap! 

Other events of the weekend included and adult night out on the town, hitting a sports bar the next day to watch our football teams lose :( and then hanging with the little leopards for some more fun!

We ended Sunday with my two brothers and I having dinner together for the first time ever!!

And now it's Monday and in a couple of hours I am going to go pick him up for one last lunch and he's going back home. It's truly been one of the greatest weekends of my life and my little leopards loved hanging out with their uncle! 

It was a great weekend and I'm already looking forward to more visits, conversations and good times with the Big Bro! 

My Big Day!

This past summer has been the craziest summer of my life for so many reasons. Some good and some bad.

And the good part is finally coming to fruition today.

I am meeting my long lost half brother for the first time since I was four years old!!!!

I don't remember him at all, but he's older and remembers me and of course how spectacular I was when I was an ankle biter!

We have tons of plans and I will of course post lots of stuff and hopefully a couple more photo albums. 

It's been really fun watching this relationship evolve.

From going to telling basic info about ourselves...occupation, relationship status, kids, etc. to being more brother and sister. 

It's also amazing how alike we are, kind of like finding a part of myself that I didn't even know was missing.

So here's to the weekend and some fun and crazy times!!!

I'll see y'all on the flip side! 

100 Things

I never do memes. But feeling otherwise uninspired I thought I would do one. So here it is 100 things about me in all of its randomness and quirkiness!

Oh, and cause I'm long winded make sure you're comfortable, because this is a long read!

1) I'm right-handed 2) but left footed. 3) I'm a twin born on leap year. 4) I often crab about sharing my non-birthday with someone. 5) I forgot my twin brother's birthday until the last minute last year. 6) I'm one if the most generous people you will meet (except, apparently, if you're my twin) 7) I'm generally always happy. 8) My twin for years forgot my birthday and Christmas. 9) I do his birthday and Christmas shopping for his nieces. 10) I generally "assign" the gifts I want to people for Christmas.

11)I'm easily entertained. 12) Seriously, I am the first one to laugh at something and the last to stop. 13) I've recently learned there is a time and a place for everything. 14) I'm still working on putting that into practice. 15) I still need to learn that patience is a virtue. 16) I'm a mostly sarcastic, quick witted person 17) but I also have a tendency to overthink everything. 18) I love to talk. 19) It is an informal policy at work not hire some that talks more than me. 20) I enjoy my "temporary" status as favorite manager at work.

21) I understand most things in life are fleeting. 22) It's probably why I'm always the life if the party 23) and have stopped stressing when things aren't great. 24) I truly believe in the power of positive thinking. 25) I also believe that exercise makes you happy. 26) I try to run at least half of my mornings. 27) I went biking a lot this summer in the evenings. But now it gets dark too early. 28) I used to weigh close to 350 pounds. 29) When I lost the baby weight from my second daughter, I weighed less than half that. 30) I have yucky "grandma arms" and a flabby stomach because of it. Those are my reminders to never let it happen again!

31) I'm an avid photographer. 32) I own six cameras 33) and only use four. 34) My digital point and shoot is almost always with me. 35) The digital SLR I bring often and use for portraits and other "artsy" stuff. 36) I am eternally fascinated by my iPhone camera. It is SO BAD! But it produces some unique results. 37) Which is why I love my Holga, a medium format toy camera. 38) A return to film photography has gotten me excited for this medium again. 39) I'm too scared to get my Holga photographs developed. 40) I want more cameras!

41) I love blogging. 42)This is the third blog I've had since my oldest daughter was born. 43)My uncle's caring bridge page was the inspiration for my first blog. 44) He assumes his liver transplant was his anniversary present, but really it's the best birthday present I've ever gotten! 45)I've had surgery three times. Sinus surgery twice, jaw surgery once. 46) I used to get pnueminia every spring. 47) I've never broken a bone. 48) I've been in two car accidents. 49) The last when I was in was eleven years ago. 50) I haven't gotten a traffic ticket in over 8 years.

51) I'm very easily distracted. The last ten items were only supposed to be about blogging! 52) I forget things easily. I can't remember what I was going to write about blogging in the previous section! 53) I absolutely suck at returning phone calls. This is due in large part to items 51 & 52. 54) Talking on the phone is one of my least favorite forms of communication. Due to the afornentioned distractibility on my part. 55) If we've talked for an extended length of time on the phone...you're aces in my book. 56) I'd rather email 57) or better yet, let's talk over drinks. 58) Most people in my family are generally introverted. 59) Until recently I hadn't known where my extroversion came from. 60) One of my lifetime goals is to learn Spanish. Mostly, so I can increase the amount of people I can talk to.

61) Until I had girls I did not like the color pink 62) now I love pink! 63) I do not have a favorite color. 64) When I was a teenager I used to have reptiles for pets. 65) All my pets were named for cities where the Olympics took place. 65) I went to the 2002 Winter Olympics. It is one of my favorite memories. 66) I am planning on going to the 2010 Winter Olympics. 67) I prefer the Winter Olympics over the Summer Olympics. 68) Hockey is by far my favorite sport. 69) I went to the NHL All-Star game in 2004. 70) I also played hockey when I was a freshmen in high school.

71) Asked to skate now, I would probably fall on my face! 72) I swam for a season as well. 73) I still spend as much time as possible by the pool in the summer. 74) I live in flip flops in the summer. 75) I live in Ugg's in the winter. 76) I keep the feet pedicured year around. 77) I gave up on my hands years ago. 78) Because of a car accident when I was 16 my left hand is bigger than my right. 79) I have attached earlobes. 80) It is the only body part I wish I could change.

81) I own twenty pairs of jeans. 82) Most are wide leg jeans. 83) Denim is my trademark and I rarely wear anything else. 84) I have been wearing cardigans for far longer than they have been "fashionable." 85)In the summer I'll trade my jeans in for a sundress. 86) I find the four distinct seasons in Minnesota very stressful. 87) I have never liked Minnesota winters. 88) I travel west as often as possible. 89) My favorite city is Boston. 89) I could never live in Boston again because of it's winters. 90) Except for Boston, I prefer the west coast over the east coast.

91) My favorite food is fried rice. 92) I drink 6-8 cups of coffee a day 93) and believe tea can cure most illness. 94) I'm lactose intolerant 95) and I rarely ever drink soda. 96) I add crystal light to most of my water. 97) In a restaurant I always order water with a slice of lemon. 98) I've been working on this post for the last two days. 99) I've written this post entirely on my iPhone. 100) After I got my iPhone I didn't turn on my computer for a month!