Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from December, 2012

Change Of Plans For New Year's Eve

What?! Not feeling well on New Year's Eve? Me?!? This is so not right. We went to our favorite wings place last night and it must not have worked out for me.  Rob's fine, which is surprising seeing as how he had the hottest wings on the menu.  I'm not a spicy foods gal.  Just can't handle it. Well, this is going to change our plans for tonight.  Usually we have family over and celebrate the "New York New Year" just in case we can't stay awake until our true Pacific Northwest midnight - which we always do.  But I'm hearing that most of us are feeling "under the weather" so this could be a quiet ringing in of a new day. Since Rob is feeling just fine he's sticking with our plan of heading up to Mt. Hood with Katie do to some snow tubing and possibly some snowboarding.  Katie's never tried to snowboard before and she really wants to give it a go.  And I'm missing it!!! Here's to you having a safe, fun and well New

Think I'll Go Back To Writing Letters And Reading Books

Well, still working on the Verizon phone data usage problem.  (" Who Are The Gods Of Electronics And How Do I Appease Them ?") I've sent my frustration out into the Twitterverse which has prompted some response from their tech support.  Who knows what will come of it, I just want to try all avenues of help and witness their accountability.  It's one thing to call a customer service number, maybe not have the positive result you were hoping for, then writing a letter, or whatever yet still be frustrated and share with your family, friends, the grocery store clerk.  Anyone that will listen to your tale of woe.  But now, with our lovely social media outlets, you can call out a company that is messing things up and share it with hundreds.  Thousands!  You receive helpful advice from others that have had similar situations as well.  When it comes to products failing I've found sharing on Twitter brings results from the company.  Have you used Twitter to try to resolv

Led Zepplin? Who's That?

"Music, makes the people come together" - Madonna There are certain areas of parenting where I feel I have dropped the ball.  Music is one of them.  Well, popular music anyway.  (My girls have learned to accept that Classical and Jazz will be heard in the car and that's that.) There was a show on the other day and Madonna's name was mentioned.  "Who is that?" said Lily, our newly minted 12 year old.  What?!  Over the years Rob and I have heard this question about music artists and we'll say 'You know the song (we do our best to recreate the tune) " Da da da dee da da "?  Well, that's them.'  And move along, making a mental note to add the artist to our Pandora playlist. But recently there were two "Who is that?" questions that had me surprised at the lack of my Parental Music Appreciation skills.  First there was the Madonna inquiry and then, while watching The Kennedy Center Honors, our girls heard the intro for Led

Who Are The Gods of Electronics And How Do I Appease Them??

Here I am, writing about how electronics made for a LOT of unnecessary stress yesterday, using my laptop.  I do believe that is what's called "irony", correct? First, my husband Rob found a nasty pattern of 100's of minutes of data usage basically being stolen from my iPhone and Verizon's Customer Service suggestion was for me to turn off my phone at night.  That's it.  Turn off my phone?  Do they think the phones power button is like locking a door so no one can enter?  What?!? After hours on the phone, going between Verizon saying "It's not us, it's Apple".  Then turning to Apple and hearing "It's not us, it's them" Rob gave himself a sanity break and touched the almighty "End" button. Later in the evening Rob set up our family Christmas present, a t.v. for our little living room.  This t.v. is supposed to be a quick "plug & play" with all of our channels showing up right where they should be.

Getting Ready For Storytime

The days leading to Christmas are so filled with family gatherings, and last-minute gift ideas/shopping, that when Christmas Eve arrives we're ready to sleep by 9:00. (At least I am.) My Father-in-law's birthday is Dec. 24th so after arriving home from his party we do a quick change into our p.j's then settle in for our tradition of Rob's reading of The Night Before Christmas. (I've had the copy of this book since I was a wee little Ann Marie. The binding is coming apart, the pages are slipping out, and I love this book so much :->) If you celebrate Christmas how was your Christmas Eve spent?

Merry Christmas!

With my heart, and mind, constantly aware of the times we are all going through, I push on with hope, wishes of joy and hugs to show you you are loved.  (virtual counts! ;-> ) Merry Christmas Feliz Navidad Peace

You Want Me To Tell You What?!

Naughty or Nice? Wow. I guess I was that kind of kid. (Circa 1970)

Photobomb The Photobomber

Our Katie celebrated her 15th birthday with her friends at Bullwinkle's Family Fun Center. (Within just a couple of months at her new school she has connected with wonderful girls that seem to really "get" her.) While catching her wearing a Pikachu hat, hand-made just for her, I saw one of her friends sneaking in the frame. Cute. It made me laugh. It wasn't until we were home that I noticed Bullwinkle getting in on the photo-op. Photobombed by Bullwinkle! Happy Birthday Katie!!!

Celebrating

We have celebrated our daughters December birthdays, continuously aware of our blessings. These past days were filled with big hugs, 'I love you's' and prayers for those that ache for their children. There've been times when I've said, 'I wish we could live in a happy, little bubble.' That feeling is really strong right now.

Peace

Peace. Love. Prayers.

I am SO SICK of GUNS!!!

In my city of Portland, OR on Tuesday, December 11th a man armed with guns went into a shopping mall, busy with holiday shoppers, and shot at who ever he could.  He killed 1 woman, a hospice nurse and mother, and 1 man, a husband a father of young children, before killing himself. When I see the pictures of the victims I see people my age.  I see people who were most likely shopping for something special to give their family for Christmas.  And because of a sad, angry man who was able to get his hands on a gun, those people are no longer alive.  Beyond depressing. Today, I am overwhelmed with the news that I am hearing from Newtown, CT.  A man entered an elementary school and started shooting.  Dozens are dead.  Children. CHILDREN!!!  Because of an insane, angry man who got his hands on guns. I AM SO SICK OF THIS!!!! I will NEVER understand gun ownership.  For those that say, "Don't take away my gun rights!  If I had been there I could have used my gun to stop the sh

Onto Our Latest Journey - I Have A 12 Year Old Daughter

I've been posting a lot of videos and little quips lately because so much change is going on in our lives and I'm not so sure if sharing the experiences through the blog will make everyone involved happy.  But I have things I want to share!  So frustrating. Let's see.  Could I talk around the subject?  Be incredibly vague and still get my message across?  Hmmm. (Ladies, I'm sure you'll know what I'm talking about ;-> ) My Katie was almost 12 when I heard the words, "Mom, could you come here?"  From the tone of her voice and the expression on her face I knew what that meant.  We'd read the books,  she'd had the "body awareness" classes in school and we'd talked and talked about all the changes soon to come.   And here we were... while we were preparing for a huge Thanksgiving feast.  Whew.  What a day! With her little sister almost reaching 12 I was not only getting sad at how quickly the time had gone by I was getting w

Not So "Shocking!"

I found this video on YouTube titled "Shocking!"  What do you think?    I don't think it's that shocking.  Even though the news likes to report the gloom and doom of the World I will never stop believing that the majority of us will try, will help and will do better. Peace

Sleepover Accomplished!

So happy to have hosted a lively, laughter and music filled sleepover for our "little" Lily's 12th birthday. Pink! Pink everywhere! Time truly does go by in the blink -the BLINK - of the eye (Yes, tonight we were ready for bed by 9:00pm)

All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah with Jimmy Fallon

My girls and I love this song.  (Just yesterday we were "Soundhounding*" the lyrics :-> ) Merry Christmas! *Soundhound:  App for iPhone

The Birthday Countdown

"7 days until my birthday" "6 days until my birthday" "5 days until my birthday" This is what we've been hearing from our little Lily.  She now has 4 days until her birthday.  On December 7th she will be 12 years old. Where have the days gone?  Where has the time gone?  What the heck is going on here?!? *Heavy, heavy sigh* I am preparing to host a lovely, and lively, group of girls for a slumber party this Friday.  Rob has conveniently remembered he has an event he needs to attend - just for a bit - this Friday night.  Ah, well.  It's for the best any way.  I think hearing One Direction and Taylor Swift played over and over would put him over the edge and I need him around. "4 days until my birthday". Yes Lily, I know. *sniff*

Why Your Kids Need To Learn About Money Now

As parents it's our job to try to teach our kids how to live their life with as many good habits as possible. Along with saying 'please' and 'thank you' and washing your hands, this includes learning about smart money habits.   It is said that the lessons we learn as children will stick with us throughout our lives and help shape us into the person that we will become. I truly believe this because as I get older I have become set in my ways, and I am finding it hard to change my personal and financial habits. They say that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks and that’s why it’s important to teach your kids about earning money, saving money, and managing their money at a young age. 3 Tips to Teach Your Kids about Money: Let Your Kids Work for Their Money.   Eventually in life we all have to work for our money so there is no point in spoiling our kids at a young age because they will only be shocked later on in life when they have to actually start working for