A Visit with the Aunts and Uncles

We got together with the extended family last weekend at Jane and Ken's because Barbara was visiting. Tyler and Janey K. made it in from Southern Maryland and it was an especial treat to see Thom and Aunt Cay up from North Carolina. The biggest surprise, though, was Kix and her kids. Turns out her son and Alec play on the same baseball team. What a small world!

At any rate, we had great pizza (of which I ate WAY too much) and lots to talk about including, in no particular order, our crazy relatives, politics, why you shouldn't "reply all" on e-mails, the benefits of local vs. shipped-in organic foods, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

Janey K., in her usual Pied Piper way, took the girls off my hands, for which I am eternally grateful. They played restaurant and generally ran around like the insane urchins that they are. It was wonderful because I actually got to converse with the adults a little. You don't realize how much you miss that until you get to do it. I also got to hold Baby Kenny a time or two. He feels like a feather when you're used to hefting a 40-pound, solid muscle pre-schooler. The boy is ready to walk and once that happens all hell is going to break loose.

The only bummer of the day was that NOBODY brought a camera. Unbelievable!

A funny followup story (which some of you have already heard...)

Sunday, I came upstairs after working out and found the girls had built a huge nest of pillows in the living room. It was their restaurant, called "A Big Smile on You," presumably because that's what you'll have once you've eaten there. They were wearing their aprons that Aunt Janey K. had given them and Laura had made them name tags. She was Mrs. Tiffany and JiaJia was Mrs. Flower. Laura took my order, JiaJia cooked and served my lunch, then they gave me a hug, because as Laura said, "that's just the kind of restaurant this is." It was a hoot.

I'm embarrassed to admit we did a big nothing for St. Patrick's day. The girls didn't even wear green to school and I schlepped around the house in workout clothes all day (which are definitely not green). No green beer, no corned beef and cabbage (which I don't really mind since I don't particularly like corned beef), no soda bread, nothing. My Irish ancestors are spinning in their graves at this greivous omission. Oh well, maybe next year.

So next Sunday is Easter. Laura announced to me last night that her little buddy, Isabella, had told her there is no Easter Bunny, its really your parents. What?!?!? I thought I had at least a couple more years before we had this conversation but no such luck. I pointed out to her that Isabella hadn't proven herself to be a particularly good source of information in the past but I think she is on the verge. I hope I can convince her to believe for a little bit longer. I'm just not ready for my first baby to be that grown up.

But all things considered, whether she believes or not, I will be expected to pony up with the candy. Some things never change...

My Wild Children and Vince's Happy Birthday

The weather here has been pretty warm this week. Tuesday it was 70+ degrees but very rainy and windy. By the time I got home from the office the rain had stopped but the wind was intense. The girls had been riding their bikes outside but decided to get a little crazy when Mom got out the camera.

The girls had a great time making their own birthday cards for their dad, who turned 49 yesterday. JiaJia's is a purple explosion, consisting mostly of her name but with lots of squiggles and other stuff which only a four year old could understand. I love Laura's card, particularly the picture she drew of a big round head with the legend "You." Since Dad is the only one in the house with a big bald head I think we could have figured out who the picture depicted without her guidance but there it is.

Vince had requested surf and turf for dinner so the girls helped me make poached lobster with lemon butter and filet mignon with sauce Bearnaise, along with roasted asparagus and baked potato. Since I had to go into the office in Virginia three days this week I cheated and bought a cake at Wegman's but I have to admit, I would have been pressed to make one that tasted as good. It was fantastic!

After dinner it was bath and bed for all (not all together but you know what I mean...) We slept the sleep of those who are well fed and happy. How blessed we are to have such privilege in our lives.

Snow and Ice and Nothing Else Nice

The dreaded snow day. We woke up to about an inch of snow this morning but the predictions were for more snow followed by ice so both schools are closed. Vince left for work at 5:00 a.m. so I'm home alone with two wild children who can't go outside to run off all their energy. Oh, and did I mention I'm trying to work because I have a deliverable this afternoon?

I've been relieved of some of the insanity by the arrival of the two neighbor kids so they're all playing in my room and apparently seeing who can scream the loudest. I have the phone on mute while I'm on a conference call but at least I'm getting some work done.

Later we're having chili and cornbread for dinner - the perfect icy weather meal to my mind, even if it is healthy turkey chili (but don't tell Vince or he won't eat it). The cornbread is my new favorite (which I'll be addressing in my other blog - http://www.notsoseriousbaker.blogspot.com/ after I bake it and take a few pictures) from The Bread Baker's Apprentice. Then hopefully I can get the whole crew calmed down with a movie or perhaps some opium (just kidding) for the evening.

Then tomorrow it starts all over again. You know, I used to actually look forward to the weekend but once you have kids that all changes.

The picture is one of the few good ones I've gotten recently of both girls. Wouldn't you know, I told them that instead of saying "cheese" they should say "I hate my sister." Bingo - great picture!

Happy Valentine's Day!

The day started with a nice bonus - school is back in after two days off due to the weather. They started two hours late but that's okay, it gave the girls a chance to sleep in. And now I'm writing this from a VERY quiet house. As my friend Jamie would say, its a beautiful thing.

We're not doing anything special to celebrate - just a nice roast chicken for dinner and an hour spent watching LOST for mom. Both kids are having parties at school (for which I baked absolutely nothing - I truly am the worst school mom in the world) so I expect lots of valentines festooning the house this evening plus a ton of little doodads provided by the mothers who actually have some talent at putting together gift bags and the like. I suppose I could do that sort of stuff but I just don't so this will be one more thing that my kids will be telling their therapists about in 20 years. Nice of me to give them material, I guess.

At least my girls look cute with their Valentine pillows. What a couple of hams!

Pictures from Christmas

One of the hardest things I do as a mother is to try to get pictures where both of my kids look like they are at least marginally normal. Usually L does the cheeseface and JJ scowls so I end up with pictures where one or the other of them looks awful. This Christmas was no exception.

They insisted on wearing their elf pajamas from last Christmas, which was fine with me but nothing I could do, not even sinking to bribery, could get one single picture with both of them looking like the angels I know they are. Or at least the angels I'd like to world to believe they are.

Christmas has come and gone...

But amazingly, the girls are still happily playing with all their stuff. The Wii turned out to be every bit as cool as I'd been told and Laura and Vince are getting really good at bowling and tennis. She's even beaten him a few times at baseball. We're all having a tough time with the Dancing with the Stars game as it requires coordination between the controller and the nunchuk - way beyond my abilities although Laura is muddling her way through. Even JiaJia has been playing a bit of Big Brain Academy, highly recommended by my friend Jamie and her four year old.

The day itself was quiet as I have another cold but I still managed to cook a gorgeous standing rib roast with potatoes and brussels sprouts (I know what you're thinking but we love them). The kids had cookies for dessert and I had a glass of wine then we all hit the hay early. What's not to like about that?

I'm working this week but it is very quiet, thankfully. It will give me time to get rested up because 2008 promises to be a really crazy year as far as work goes.

Next stop is New Year's and Vince's family celebration. We'll do ham and spoonbread as always but I'm still pondering what else we can have. No black eyed peas, though. Man, I hate those nasty little things.

So I finally gave in...

I've been thinking about blogging for a while now but somehow it seemed, oh, I don't know, a bit self centered. I mean, honestly, what could I possibly have to say that anyone would be interested in? Then I started thinking about how easy it would be to communicate with the family without having to send e-mail beyond just "look at my blog for what's going on in our lives" and the idea began to seem more attractive.

So here I am, teetering on the brink of 21st century communication. We'll see where this goes, shall we?