Party Time

Princessina is yet again fast asleep in the middle of our bed.  She is adorable and I am going to join her in a moment.  I think I would be wise to get a good night's sleep tonight since tomorrow will be a busy day and includes the drive to the train station to pick up Lucy & Ethel, I mean my mom and my aunt.  Yes, that's right, they're really coming.  Of course I won't truly believe that something won't go wrong until I see the whites of their eyes as they come out of Union Station. 

We have some more straightening to do, a couple of errands, and that's about it.  Jackson didn't even notice that I'd moved nearly all of his toys from the family room up to his room.  Katherine had her first flowers delivered today as a gift from our friends for her christening.  Not just any old flowers, these are exotic blooms arriving via FedEx today from Hawaii.  What a very special treat.  The stems are all very large, mostly all in the pink family, and I got 3 arrangements out of what came in the box.  I happily crossed buying flowers off the to do list. 

I found a dress yesterday that I think I will wear for Sunday and then for a wedding reception next month, and then to my 25th reunion in November. 

Cranberry wool, sleeveless, Ann Taylor.  I bought matching jewelry, sucker that I am.  The chunky charm necklace looks divine with it but I want to show off my diamond necklace as well.  The reason I'm a sucker is that I was thinking scarf, didn't see anything, caught sight of the baubles, picked up what matched and didn't even look at the price. Yes I bought the earrings too although I think they're too much for an afternoon christening.  I tried it on today and really felt a connection with my grandmother.  Scary.....

The Diva and the Big Shot

Why am I so happy when I've invited a bunch of people over for next Sunday and have to get the house whipped into shape for the event.  I'm hoping the dress I want to wear will fit, otherwise I'm SOL for suitable attire and no time or desire to shop for something new.

So the diva woke up for her second morning feeding all cuddly and warm in her leopard print fleece pj's and promptly went back to sleep in the middle of our bed.  My children seem to think king size beds are their birthright.  The bigshot who has yet to be potty trained but who will sit on the potty and waste t.p. while Dad showers, now insists on having his morning shower.  He was getting in as I was leaving for Mass. 

Oh and yesterday I was queen for the day because I got Alex some really nice gifts, picked up a cake, wrapped the gifts while they were at soccer, got lunch ready, blah, blah, blah but today I'm a pile of doo doo because I slept in yesterday, took a long nap with the kids, went to church this a.m. and now have (the nerve) to want to continue the fun and go grocery shopping.  See if I buy Dorito's today, hmmmmpf~

Is Modeling in Her Future?

The long awaited, much ballyhooed, mommy is a spaz, pics of Kate in her party dress....the following is not an excuse about why the pics weren't there but I sent the email to everyone.  It's more of an explanation for anyone who's interested in reading about an insane woman trying to work full time, keep a nice house, be pleasant to her husband (most of the time) and keep her kids happy, healthy, and out of danger...list is in reverse order of importance...

So on Friday after being up until 1:30 or 2:00 a.m. working I got up and started working again.  I got Kate ready for school while Jackson was in the shower - that's right - he takes a shower in the morning after daddy is done, oh and that would be after he sits on the potty (doing nothing but wasting toilet paper and occasionally peeing) while Dad showers.  Ok, so off they went to school and I was working and trying to get these pics uploaded.  When will I learn to save as I go, save as I go, save as I go?  I'm not trying to garner sympathy or anything but then I showered, had a session with the breast pump, went to get my MRI (what a treat that was...NOT), stopped at home for something I forgot, visited the rectory to drop off the letters for Kate's godparents (where I left the keys in the minivan and it running), headed for Fair Oaks mall which I can never find on the first try....zoom-zoomed throught Lord & Taylor buying Alex a birthday gift and spending a small fortune buying Kate & Jackson some Polo, uh huh, we're still very wealthy (not).  With L&T shopping bag in tow zoom-zoomed to jewelry store to pick up my bracelet that had been repaired, and stopped at various other small shops to buy more birthday stuff for Alex - every 10 year old girl needs a pink suede purse after all, right? 

So I'm wearing these sandals that have proven in the past not be be good for athletics like sprinting through the mall and now I have a monster blister on the side of my foot....but I'm still shopping.  I head for Fair Lakes and the Target to pick up Kate's pics, find it (2nd try) and start the zoom-zoom but I forgot the receipt, trip on the way back to the van and lose a sandal (I swear I don't make this shit up!), make it into the store, pick up some more stuff forbirthday girl - e.g. things for inside the new purse, etc. - and grab the pictures.  Head home, let the dogs out, take something out of the freezer for dinner, pump again, check work emails, call a candidate, talk to my "assistant", get back in the car, stop for gas, stop at grocery store  - change my mind about dinner and buy something easier to fix - grab a BIG bottle of wine - pick up kiddles - head home - start drinking.  Drink too much, sleep in on Saturday, wake up while Jeff is getting ready for his & Alex's soccer game - he's the coach - get a few things done around the house including wrap birthday presents and write Happy Birthday Alex on the cake I bought at the market, make lunch and do the birthday thing with Alex including cake, etc., power nap with Jackson.  Peaks and valleys, peaks and valleys.  The life of a maniac....Alex power napped too so we did not go out for dinner for her birthday but I'm teaching her that it's good to spread the birthday thing out for as long as you can and we're going out to eat tomorrow.  I'm thinking she's not doing so bad having two homes as she celebrated her birthday last weekend with a sleepover at her mom's and a weekend full of back to school shopping and a cute new haircut.  Pics of Alex to follow.

Bets You Don't Want to Win

I don't mean to brag but, oh hell I always do, I made some yummy guacamole tonight using tomato and chile peppers from my garden.  That would be the shambles of a garden that the big brown bad doggie has left for me to harvest.  Anyway, so Aunt Dee calls to say that I've succeeded through my awesome power of suggestion in getting HER addicted to the Edy's Whole Fruit Bars.  She can't find them by the box and so must buy them singly at CVS.  What heathen country is she from?  Philly suburbs.  So I ask if they're on track to come down for the christening.  "Of course, your mother and I are coming,"  she says.  "What about Uncle Ed,"  I say.  "He doesn't attend functions,"  she responds.  "When your sister has something he drops me off and picks me up."  That's just great.  He's never been to my home and he's blowing this off as another "function"? Another "don't get me started" occurrence. 

So, she's leaving it up to my Mom as to the logistics of coming down for the christening.  Here we go again.  I am betting she's leaning toward coming down and going home the same day.  When is she going to consult with me about rides to and from the train station.  Do I need to ask why my Uncle who does an annual trip from Philly to freakin' Florida can't drive them to the DC suburbs, a mere 3 hour drive?  Oh that's right, I said don't get me started.  Bottom line - I don't believe they'll be here.  I hope it's a bet I don't win.  I feel bad that my aunt won't be here to see Katherine in all her radiant glory.  I feel bad my mom isn't considering coming on Saturday; leaving on Monday so we can have a visit in there somewhere.  I feel bad for myself that I know these things are true without even having the conversation with my mother. So right now I'm going to give myself the approval to say "well done!" for a nice party because I know it will be a wonderful day and a special time with friends regardless of the fact that no family are here to share it.    

Flybaby

I think I'm Finally Loving Myself.  I also think this woman, Marla Cilley, is an inspired genious.  From breaking it all down into baby steps to publishing the personal testimonials, she makes it possible for the harried perfectionist that I am to feel good about small accomplishments and to feel hopeful and maybe even faithful that I will climb to the top of the clutter and defeat it on day.  Reading testimonials earlier this morning the following rang particularly true:  cooking healthy meals makes you feel so much better physically and emotionally than eating take out and frozen crap out of a box; being a perfectionist where religion is concerned may result in living outside of your religion for fear that you're not practicing it 100% so you'd better not try at all; jumping on the bandwagon and being obsessed with a new program leads to quick burnout and abandonment.  Being forced to take baby steps has taught me to feel a sense of accomplishment from small tasks completed.  I don't have the time or the energy to power clean the whole house just to get it just right all at once.  Thank goodness we're blessed to be able to afford Susana every two weeks but the daily surface clutter and the accumulated packrat clutter are mine to own completely (along with DH).  Looking at life in 15-20 minute chunks has helped me to finally learn to fit more into my life, take care of things before they become overwhelming, enjoy little things, and most importantly, it has given me something valuable to teach my children. 

SuperTarget has Drawbacks

The weather is lovely this Labor Day weekend.  My sweet son is singing along with the movie.  Something has happened to him over the past couple of days (knock wood) as his whiner seems to be on the blink.  We hit the mall yesterday to take him for his quarterly haircut and he is just more precious than ever :)

I made it to Mass - woo hoo two in a row!  I introduced myself to the new pastor who is the friend of a friend as well as the brother of a guy who works at the same firm as I do.  He will be baptizing Kate in 2 weeks.  I must invite him over for the party afterward. 

Lunch is over, Kate is napping, and now I must get Mr. Man up for his nap.  The roses need some attention although they haven't suffered much from the "neglect" of the past month.  The Japanese beetles seem to have taken the hint and scrammed and there are pink, yellow, peach, red, yellow, and coral blooms out there.  I must go deadhead them and maybe bring a few lovely ones inside to enjoy.

So happy to have one more day "off" although I can't stop thinking about work and all there is to do.  On Wednesday I am "interviewing" for a new position within the firm.  I should add research what would be the new functional area for me before I have this phone interview.

Ok, so the drive to Leesburg is well worth the variety of Edy's Frozen Whole Fruit bars and the much lower price on these and other Clarke family essentials, however,   the fact that I cannot make my wine purchses there really chaps my ass....that, and the fact that the clerk behind the deli counter had no idea what she was doing - sliced regular roasted turkey for me vs. smoked turkey, etc.  and they don't carry Boar's Head brand.  For these items I will be making the visit to Giant.  I cannot do without my BH mesquite smoked turkey!

Ok, so I fudged a litttle earlier when I said I was happy - actually I was a little edgy and anxious but now I'm happy.  An old friend stopped by and she saw Kate for the first time and did a tour of the house to see what improvements we'd made since her last visit, etc. and remarked what a beautiful baby, what a gorgeous son, what a happy seeming life - aaaah, all is well and Jeff just brought dinner off the grill.  Now I'm really happy!

Somebody Turn Off the Wave Machine

They're coming at me faster than I can handle and for the past two days I've been forgetting to breathe.  I'm thankful for the upcoming long weekend and hope to make enough headway so the thought that I should be working doesn't creep in and ruin my break.

In the midst of all the fun at work I'm still on the phone to insurance providers and doctor's offices about medical claims from Kate's birth.  I'm thinking this current issue is a case of things crossing in the mail but I hate to get these notices that say "you're account is seriously past due.  please remit immediately".  Know what I hate even more?  I hate taking time from my busy day to call the insurance company and have them tell me that there had never been a claim for the amount in question.  Who's crazy here?  Deep Breath....Aaaaah that feels good!

If I keep thinking happy thoughts of my precious babies I can get through anything!

Funny note - I asked Jeff if he was remembering to put Kate's fresh bottles in the fridge at daycare behind any bottle that may have been left over from the previous day.  His response:  I worked at a grocery store for 10 years, what an absurd question!  At least some simple things are working as they should.