We waited, and we waited, and waited, and waited.....
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Keepin' your cool.
Ok, one thing that I've always been sure of...I was planning on keeping my cool once I became a parent.
No siree, I was not going to get a 'mum' hair-do, nor would I be sporting elastic waist jeans and I'd just say 'no' to practical shoes.
I had no intention of carrying around a pastel colour diaper bag with a cute teddy bear on the side either. Nope, I found myself a very cool black messenger style bag, that to look at, you'd never guess was crammed with wipes, diapers, extra baby clothes, Cheerios, bottles, soothers, toys, and all the other necessities needed to take out a human (weighing less than 10 lbs) for an hour of shopping.
And nix-ay on the kiddie tunes as well...only the Wiggles managed to slide under the radar on this one. On the whole though, both my kids thought that John Mayer, Maroon 5 and Jamie Cullum was 'their' music, and I was being very nice to let them listen to 'their' music all the time. I say you have to train them young to insure that they have good taste in music. That's what my parents did, so really I'm just keeping up with tradition....time to say, 'aaaaah'.
I have also tried to instill a sense of style upon them as well. Being that I have a background in fashion, I couldn't stand the thought of them cruising around, wearing sweat pants and gum boots, one pant leg tucked in, one out, paired with a non-coordinated shirt....perish the thought!!! Just typing that visual makes me go all light headed.
All in all, I'd say I've done a pretty good job at keeping my cool since becoming a mum. I'm a non-mum hair, zipper jean wearing, black boot sportin' mama, with stylin' kids in tow. But as all of you who are parents will already know and all of you parents of the future will find out....sometimes, you have no control over your cool....DAMN!!!
I'm referring to the precious moments where your kids need to speak their minds, and they need to speak it LOUD.
A couple of months back, after Gavyn's soccer game, I was heading to the parking lot and having a chat with the coach. To set the scene for you a little better, coach Ross is about...I'd say 23, if that, and a bit of a 'dude' if ya know what I mean.
He's a volunteer firefighter, and a bartender at a local restaurant.
This was his first year coaching, and as we were walking I was asking him if he'd be coaching next year, as Gavyn said he'd sign up next season if he could be on coach Ross's team again.
So we're talking about that, and then he's telling me that we should come to the restaurant where he works, good Italian food, etc.
Tony and the boys have gone ahead towards the cars. So we are fully in one of those 'long lost' adult conversations....he's giving me tips about what to order at the restaurant, talking about the fresh authentic ingredients that they use, etc.
When we get up to the cars, Owen is crying and poor Tony is frustrated, and Gavyn is as impatient as ever....
I'm trying to finish listening to Ross when Owen comes up beside me....'mum'....'mum'....muuuum....'MUM'!!! I do my best to ignore him for the moment but he's not going anywhere.
I don't want to be rude and cut coach off mid-sentence, but Owen is persistent.
I apologize and look at Owen...."what do you want O??'. I'm annoyed because like most kids his age, mum is the first person that they go to, even if dad is standing right there.
He replies...'I NEED TO POO!!!!'
Yup, there you have it...the moments where you no longer have any control over your 'cool' factor. Lucky for me, as this is kid number 2, I've already had lots of these moments, so they don't phase me so much anymore.
Ross just laughed and I said, 'sorry, it looks like duty calls, I guess I'm heading home now'.
Before I left, I felt like warning him ....ooh, coach Ross, your time will come....and when it does, not even that eyebrow piercing is gonna help save your cool!!
No siree, I was not going to get a 'mum' hair-do, nor would I be sporting elastic waist jeans and I'd just say 'no' to practical shoes.
I had no intention of carrying around a pastel colour diaper bag with a cute teddy bear on the side either. Nope, I found myself a very cool black messenger style bag, that to look at, you'd never guess was crammed with wipes, diapers, extra baby clothes, Cheerios, bottles, soothers, toys, and all the other necessities needed to take out a human (weighing less than 10 lbs) for an hour of shopping.
And nix-ay on the kiddie tunes as well...only the Wiggles managed to slide under the radar on this one. On the whole though, both my kids thought that John Mayer, Maroon 5 and Jamie Cullum was 'their' music, and I was being very nice to let them listen to 'their' music all the time. I say you have to train them young to insure that they have good taste in music. That's what my parents did, so really I'm just keeping up with tradition....time to say, 'aaaaah'.
I have also tried to instill a sense of style upon them as well. Being that I have a background in fashion, I couldn't stand the thought of them cruising around, wearing sweat pants and gum boots, one pant leg tucked in, one out, paired with a non-coordinated shirt....perish the thought!!! Just typing that visual makes me go all light headed.
All in all, I'd say I've done a pretty good job at keeping my cool since becoming a mum. I'm a non-mum hair, zipper jean wearing, black boot sportin' mama, with stylin' kids in tow. But as all of you who are parents will already know and all of you parents of the future will find out....sometimes, you have no control over your cool....DAMN!!!
I'm referring to the precious moments where your kids need to speak their minds, and they need to speak it LOUD.
A couple of months back, after Gavyn's soccer game, I was heading to the parking lot and having a chat with the coach. To set the scene for you a little better, coach Ross is about...I'd say 23, if that, and a bit of a 'dude' if ya know what I mean.
He's a volunteer firefighter, and a bartender at a local restaurant.
This was his first year coaching, and as we were walking I was asking him if he'd be coaching next year, as Gavyn said he'd sign up next season if he could be on coach Ross's team again.
So we're talking about that, and then he's telling me that we should come to the restaurant where he works, good Italian food, etc.
Tony and the boys have gone ahead towards the cars. So we are fully in one of those 'long lost' adult conversations....he's giving me tips about what to order at the restaurant, talking about the fresh authentic ingredients that they use, etc.
When we get up to the cars, Owen is crying and poor Tony is frustrated, and Gavyn is as impatient as ever....
I'm trying to finish listening to Ross when Owen comes up beside me....'mum'....'mum'....muuuum....'MUM'!!! I do my best to ignore him for the moment but he's not going anywhere.
I don't want to be rude and cut coach off mid-sentence, but Owen is persistent.
I apologize and look at Owen...."what do you want O??'. I'm annoyed because like most kids his age, mum is the first person that they go to, even if dad is standing right there.
He replies...'I NEED TO POO!!!!'
Yup, there you have it...the moments where you no longer have any control over your 'cool' factor. Lucky for me, as this is kid number 2, I've already had lots of these moments, so they don't phase me so much anymore.
Ross just laughed and I said, 'sorry, it looks like duty calls, I guess I'm heading home now'.
Before I left, I felt like warning him ....ooh, coach Ross, your time will come....and when it does, not even that eyebrow piercing is gonna help save your cool!!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
And the songbird keeps singing....
I am a song bird.
Not necessarily one of those birds that you'd enjoy listening to, but one who sings never the less. The good bit is, I have no illusions, as some of those ' I pity the fool' people on Idol do, that I sing well. The bad bit is, I don't really care how I sound....I'm going to sing anyways. Don't get me wrong, I'm not terrible, I have spent a few years in my youth in choir. Did productions of Tom Sawyer....'scat, scat, scat...darn that cat, drat that cat' and of course the epic 9 page song that we did from Joseph and his super d-duper colourful coat....'way, way back many centuries ago'... etc. I can also remember the vocal exercises, moo, moe, ma, may ,me...what the hell the point of that was is beyond me. Regardless of true talent, I sing because I love to and I do it often, as in daily.
Aah, but not to worry, where I lack in real vocal talent, I more than make up for in creative song choice and the way I re-tool a song.
Let's just say, I take a song and 'make it my own', thank you Paula for having one sentence that makes sense.
The latest ditty that I have been singing is the lovely tune, 'Dude Looks Like a Lady', by Aerosmith. But, in my version I's kickin' it Ella style. Complete with a whole round of scatting thrown in for good measure. I think I sang this about 20 times the other morning, each time changing it up a bit...gotta keep it fresh.
I also do a rather wicked version of 'Rock and Roll All Night', by Kiss, in the style of, hmmm, let's see, I'd say, picture Nana Mouskouri singing around a campfire...that's how I'd call it. I can really bring down the house with this one.
And because I truly am a creative soul, when I'm not working my own versions of the 'classics', I make up my own tunes. Sometimes sung to the tune of a popular song and sometimes purely my own composition. Quite often these little gems are sung with a 1940's vibe....as I really do believe in my previous life I was one of those songbirds sent to entertain the troops...(no, not in that way!)...ya know, like I was the lost Andrew sister. I know what you're thinking...you're 'lost' alright sista!!
I also sing back answers to the kids....'no we don't have any cookies, so stop asking me before you drive me insane'...all sung in a pleasant manner of course.
Sometimes Owen will say, "STOP SINGING"! I know he's just kidding though, he loves it, not fooling me Mr. Brown Eyes. Oooh that reminds me, 'don't it make my brown eyes blue....'
Yep, I do break into song on a regular basis. Good thing for you to note though, unless you're living with me, you may never have to suffer the sweet sounds of my singing. Did I say 'suffer??' I meant, you may never get to enjoy the sweet sounds of my singing.
At least, I think they said I sounded sweet....couldn't hear them over my singing.
Not necessarily one of those birds that you'd enjoy listening to, but one who sings never the less. The good bit is, I have no illusions, as some of those ' I pity the fool' people on Idol do, that I sing well. The bad bit is, I don't really care how I sound....I'm going to sing anyways. Don't get me wrong, I'm not terrible, I have spent a few years in my youth in choir. Did productions of Tom Sawyer....'scat, scat, scat...darn that cat, drat that cat' and of course the epic 9 page song that we did from Joseph and his super d-duper colourful coat....'way, way back many centuries ago'... etc. I can also remember the vocal exercises, moo, moe, ma, may ,me...what the hell the point of that was is beyond me. Regardless of true talent, I sing because I love to and I do it often, as in daily.
Aah, but not to worry, where I lack in real vocal talent, I more than make up for in creative song choice and the way I re-tool a song.
Let's just say, I take a song and 'make it my own', thank you Paula for having one sentence that makes sense.
The latest ditty that I have been singing is the lovely tune, 'Dude Looks Like a Lady', by Aerosmith. But, in my version I's kickin' it Ella style. Complete with a whole round of scatting thrown in for good measure. I think I sang this about 20 times the other morning, each time changing it up a bit...gotta keep it fresh.
I also do a rather wicked version of 'Rock and Roll All Night', by Kiss, in the style of, hmmm, let's see, I'd say, picture Nana Mouskouri singing around a campfire...that's how I'd call it. I can really bring down the house with this one.
And because I truly am a creative soul, when I'm not working my own versions of the 'classics', I make up my own tunes. Sometimes sung to the tune of a popular song and sometimes purely my own composition. Quite often these little gems are sung with a 1940's vibe....as I really do believe in my previous life I was one of those songbirds sent to entertain the troops...(no, not in that way!)...ya know, like I was the lost Andrew sister. I know what you're thinking...you're 'lost' alright sista!!
I also sing back answers to the kids....'no we don't have any cookies, so stop asking me before you drive me insane'...all sung in a pleasant manner of course.
Sometimes Owen will say, "STOP SINGING"! I know he's just kidding though, he loves it, not fooling me Mr. Brown Eyes. Oooh that reminds me, 'don't it make my brown eyes blue....'
Yep, I do break into song on a regular basis. Good thing for you to note though, unless you're living with me, you may never have to suffer the sweet sounds of my singing. Did I say 'suffer??' I meant, you may never get to enjoy the sweet sounds of my singing.
At least, I think they said I sounded sweet....couldn't hear them over my singing.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Only in California....
Yep, you read it right. The brand is, 'Bimbo'. Although, I didn't have any of this cake, I can only imagine that it was extra 'dense'. ;-)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Ok, so I'm back from my family trip to Disneyland now and it's time to put down my thoughts on the trip....time to share.
First let's set the scene, we went for a one week trip, and had 6 consecutive days of theme parks. I should mention off the bat, that I'm not much of a theme park girl.
Don't get me wrong, as a kid travelling in the UK on family holidays, there was nothing that thrilled me more than spotting a seaside 'fun fair' in the distance. It was even better when my dad would decide to stop at one here and there, instead of my brother and I continually having our faces pressed up against the window of our mini van like 2 dogs waiting for their master to return home. So when we sometimes got to go for a 'walk', it was exciting! Of course, we're talking low-key parks in comparison to the mega empire that Disney be....ya know, throw a dart...pop a balloon, the arcade with all it's lights and sounds, ye olde big slide, rock candy o'plenty and sometimes even a coaster for the daring ones...count me out on that though....the big slide was about as wild as I got.
So as we embark on this week long holiday, I know full well that it will be a challenge to my sanity, I remind myself, that many times I will need to find my inner Costanza and repeat the phase, 'serenity now, serenity now'...
The Good...
-the nicely groomed palm trees that are in the few blocks surrounding Disney and hotel central.
-the flowers native to California, that probably wouldn't have a chance in hell at surviving here in the 'wet coast'
-the almond poppy muffin that I had for breakfast everyday...lubbly!!
-having an air-conditioned room to head back to
-little soaps and hair products...c'mon, who doesn't like cute little toiletries??
-the fact that the in-laws paid for the whole sha-bang...mind you them joining us was part of the deal too....note to self...always read the fine print!! ;-)
-the kids first plane ride went well, no melt downs..hallelujah!!!
-both kids loved going on rides, and surprisingly, Gavyn went on many that I wouldn't go on...mind you, I am a baby la-la.
-Tony and I got to go on one ride alone. My first time on the Indiana Jones ride...oooh, how I laughed like a school girl...all you could see was my hair whipping around...good times!
-the fact that the airport dude in Vancouver said, 'welcome home'
-watching my mother in-law (who doesn't drive), be a back seat driver even in a bumper car...that was classic...the Italian in-laws fighting over how to get their car to move, the hand gestures were awesome...too funny!!
-sitting in front of my mother in-law in the canoe and hitting her oar about every third stroke, because she wasn't putting the oar deep enough in the water...she was more giving the water a light 'stir' as if she was making sauce....Nina...there are no Roma tomatoes in here...it was highly amusing!
The Bad...
-the eighty billion super-sized Americans that we had to fight our way through daily....for the love of God....cut back on those portion sizes people!!!
-that fact that 7-eleven...known for it's higher prices, charged .99 cents for the 'red triangle chips' aka Doritos that Owen seemed to need like crack (pick your battles...you're on holidays)...while Disneyland charged $2.75 for the same thing!!!
Shame on you, you fat cat of gross proportions,...bleeding families dry....serenity now....
-the stinkin' humid weather and having to pay stupidly high prices for a bottle of water...$3.50 at Knott's...that's 3 flippin' 50!!! Fine if you only needed one, but when you need to buy several a day to avoid passing out....c'mon, that runs like $30-$40 for 6 of us...dude, we're going to be peeing it out 5 minutes later!!
-the fact that LAX stinks like socks....big time, wud up wid dat?? Oh yes, welcome to the glamorous world of LA.
-the fact that of the gazillions of people that we saw, I only heard one parent ask their child to 'keep out of the way'...that was the only example of 'parenting' that I heard....I tells ya, I must sound like a right ol'nag to people as I'm constantly reminding the kids about manners.
The Ugly...
-the mass amounts of hideous tattoos that I saw...now don't get me wrong...I like a good tattoo, but who in the H-E-double hockey sticks gets a big snowman tattooed on their arm...saw this beauty on a lady no less, and I use that term loosely.
Actually most of the ugly tattoos that I spotted were on women, often in weird places too...like up their shin...that must look good when you're wearing a nice dress.
-the black haired woman who sat across from me on the bus to Universal who had super hairy legs and pits....eeeewwwww, sorry to all you lovers of the extra fuzz...but I'm not a fan....Mel likes it smooooth!!
-the man who stood in plain sight of everyone and picked his nose...and then checked to see if he dug out any treasures ala Pirates of the Caribbean....eeeeewwwww again!! We were in line for food...cancel my order for the spinach torte, I seem to have lost my appetite.
-the un-groomed palm trees outside of the Disneyland area, you know the ones outside of the well kept up hotel central...they look more like Snuffleupagus then a tree.
-the amount of nasty bra straps that I had to see...ok, I know my background is in fashion, so maybe I'm extra picky, but, helloooo people, if you wear a halter neck top, you don't wear a regular bra with it...DUH!!! Same goes for a racer back top, or a strapless....Rahhhh!! I'm sorry, I can't let this fashion faux pas go...there's nothing more distracting to me than to see a woman with a halter neck top and then her regular grotty old bra straps going across her shoulders...that doesn't follow the design line of the garment you im-be-cillllle!!!!
Serenity now, serenity now....
Ok, clearly I remember my days in fashion school where we actually got docked points in a 'fashion crimes' game if we committed a fashion sin...ie: VPL or visible panty lines...that was a no-no. So I'm pretty sure that if we were to try to show up for school with the whole 'grotty bra straps showing thing'....well, I think it would be safe to say that we would've got ourselves with a one way ticket to Guantanamo!!!
So kids that's the overview on my trip. I did say 'serenity now' many times over the week, yet failed to find any. What I did do though, was take over 300 pictures...ya know, that 2 second smile after the 20 minute cry fest, or the 'look I'm on a ride' after waiting 45 minutes to get on. I have learned that this is really the best way to look back fondly on a family vacation, as time will soon blur the facts and all you'll have left is the visual reminders that we call photos.
Before you know it, time will have removed all that bad bits and I'll be looking into the next family adventure with the wide eyed optimism of someone just leaving on their very first family vacation.
Serenity now, serenity now....
First let's set the scene, we went for a one week trip, and had 6 consecutive days of theme parks. I should mention off the bat, that I'm not much of a theme park girl.
Don't get me wrong, as a kid travelling in the UK on family holidays, there was nothing that thrilled me more than spotting a seaside 'fun fair' in the distance. It was even better when my dad would decide to stop at one here and there, instead of my brother and I continually having our faces pressed up against the window of our mini van like 2 dogs waiting for their master to return home. So when we sometimes got to go for a 'walk', it was exciting! Of course, we're talking low-key parks in comparison to the mega empire that Disney be....ya know, throw a dart...pop a balloon, the arcade with all it's lights and sounds, ye olde big slide, rock candy o'plenty and sometimes even a coaster for the daring ones...count me out on that though....the big slide was about as wild as I got.
So as we embark on this week long holiday, I know full well that it will be a challenge to my sanity, I remind myself, that many times I will need to find my inner Costanza and repeat the phase, 'serenity now, serenity now'...
The Good...
-the nicely groomed palm trees that are in the few blocks surrounding Disney and hotel central.
-the flowers native to California, that probably wouldn't have a chance in hell at surviving here in the 'wet coast'
-the almond poppy muffin that I had for breakfast everyday...lubbly!!
-having an air-conditioned room to head back to
-little soaps and hair products...c'mon, who doesn't like cute little toiletries??
-the fact that the in-laws paid for the whole sha-bang...mind you them joining us was part of the deal too....note to self...always read the fine print!! ;-)
-the kids first plane ride went well, no melt downs..hallelujah!!!
-both kids loved going on rides, and surprisingly, Gavyn went on many that I wouldn't go on...mind you, I am a baby la-la.
-Tony and I got to go on one ride alone. My first time on the Indiana Jones ride...oooh, how I laughed like a school girl...all you could see was my hair whipping around...good times!
-the fact that the airport dude in Vancouver said, 'welcome home'
-watching my mother in-law (who doesn't drive), be a back seat driver even in a bumper car...that was classic...the Italian in-laws fighting over how to get their car to move, the hand gestures were awesome...too funny!!
-sitting in front of my mother in-law in the canoe and hitting her oar about every third stroke, because she wasn't putting the oar deep enough in the water...she was more giving the water a light 'stir' as if she was making sauce....Nina...there are no Roma tomatoes in here...it was highly amusing!
The Bad...
-the eighty billion super-sized Americans that we had to fight our way through daily....for the love of God....cut back on those portion sizes people!!!
-that fact that 7-eleven...known for it's higher prices, charged .99 cents for the 'red triangle chips' aka Doritos that Owen seemed to need like crack (pick your battles...you're on holidays)...while Disneyland charged $2.75 for the same thing!!!
Shame on you, you fat cat of gross proportions,...bleeding families dry....serenity now....
-the stinkin' humid weather and having to pay stupidly high prices for a bottle of water...$3.50 at Knott's...that's 3 flippin' 50!!! Fine if you only needed one, but when you need to buy several a day to avoid passing out....c'mon, that runs like $30-$40 for 6 of us...dude, we're going to be peeing it out 5 minutes later!!
-the fact that LAX stinks like socks....big time, wud up wid dat?? Oh yes, welcome to the glamorous world of LA.
-the fact that of the gazillions of people that we saw, I only heard one parent ask their child to 'keep out of the way'...that was the only example of 'parenting' that I heard....I tells ya, I must sound like a right ol'nag to people as I'm constantly reminding the kids about manners.
The Ugly...
-the mass amounts of hideous tattoos that I saw...now don't get me wrong...I like a good tattoo, but who in the H-E-double hockey sticks gets a big snowman tattooed on their arm...saw this beauty on a lady no less, and I use that term loosely.
Actually most of the ugly tattoos that I spotted were on women, often in weird places too...like up their shin...that must look good when you're wearing a nice dress.
-the black haired woman who sat across from me on the bus to Universal who had super hairy legs and pits....eeeewwwww, sorry to all you lovers of the extra fuzz...but I'm not a fan....Mel likes it smooooth!!
-the man who stood in plain sight of everyone and picked his nose...and then checked to see if he dug out any treasures ala Pirates of the Caribbean....eeeeewwwww again!! We were in line for food...cancel my order for the spinach torte, I seem to have lost my appetite.
-the un-groomed palm trees outside of the Disneyland area, you know the ones outside of the well kept up hotel central...they look more like Snuffleupagus then a tree.
-the amount of nasty bra straps that I had to see...ok, I know my background is in fashion, so maybe I'm extra picky, but, helloooo people, if you wear a halter neck top, you don't wear a regular bra with it...DUH!!! Same goes for a racer back top, or a strapless....Rahhhh!! I'm sorry, I can't let this fashion faux pas go...there's nothing more distracting to me than to see a woman with a halter neck top and then her regular grotty old bra straps going across her shoulders...that doesn't follow the design line of the garment you im-be-cillllle!!!!
Serenity now, serenity now....
Ok, clearly I remember my days in fashion school where we actually got docked points in a 'fashion crimes' game if we committed a fashion sin...ie: VPL or visible panty lines...that was a no-no. So I'm pretty sure that if we were to try to show up for school with the whole 'grotty bra straps showing thing'....well, I think it would be safe to say that we would've got ourselves with a one way ticket to Guantanamo!!!
So kids that's the overview on my trip. I did say 'serenity now' many times over the week, yet failed to find any. What I did do though, was take over 300 pictures...ya know, that 2 second smile after the 20 minute cry fest, or the 'look I'm on a ride' after waiting 45 minutes to get on. I have learned that this is really the best way to look back fondly on a family vacation, as time will soon blur the facts and all you'll have left is the visual reminders that we call photos.
Before you know it, time will have removed all that bad bits and I'll be looking into the next family adventure with the wide eyed optimism of someone just leaving on their very first family vacation.
Serenity now, serenity now....
Thursday, July 17, 2008
He had a spring in his step!
Jimmy likes a spring in his step, Jimmy likes to bounce.
Jimmy looked like a fool!!
While sitting at a table in California Adventure Park, I noticed a man walk past me....he seemed to have a certain bounce to his walk....indeed, he really did have a spring in his step...really!! Seemingly straight out of the 'Jimmy episode' of Seinfeld. I couldn't take my eyes off 'Jimmy' and I managed to snap this pic of his shoe in my 'oh-so spy worthy' manner. These shoes, they did cracketh me up...BIG time.
Unfortunately, Jimmy was wearing dark glasses, so I couldn't tell where he was looking, so I wasn't able to alert Tony to my Jimmy spotting....I had to enjoy this one solo. I actually even forgot to tell him, until we were back home last night and watching Seinfeld....and oh yes, boys and girls....it was the Jimmy episode!!! I said, 'Oh, I forgot to tell you about my own Jimmy...!!!'
When I first spotted him, I just assumed that he had some kind of medical deal, but nope, it appears that I too can get my hand on a pair of 'Jimmy's. I noticed on the shoe that in had the word, ZCoil and through my friend Mr. Google, I was hooked up with my own selection of Jimmy's via the Zcoil site!! Check em' out...they are fab-o-dab-ulous!!! I love the ones the lady is wearing on the home page, tres sec-a-see!!! I think she's wearing the 'birth control' model. http://www.zcoil.com/index.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)