My little girls are 2 and 1. Totally different. Totally cute. Lizzy, the two-year-old, is a girly-girl. She is tenderhearted, sweet, and obedient. Jennifer, my little bruiser, is FUNNY. That's the only way to describe her! She is totally disobedient, bites everyone she meets, but does it with a deep guttural laugh and infectious smile--so no one really minds. Except Lizzy.
Two days ago, I walked into the bedroom, where Jenny and Lizzy were watching t.v. on my bed. Lizzy was whimpering, so I went over to see what was the matter. Jenny had her full weight on Lizzy and was doing the "dead man" just to bother her. Lizzy, between whimpers, cried, "Jenny's sleeping on me!" I, of course, told Jenny to get off of Lizzy and not to "sleep" on her, anymore. But it was hard to hold in the laugh. Who knew a 19-month-old could tease so well!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Chuck it out!
Just watched the new season premiere of Chuck. Loved it!!
So for those who are not familiar with the show, Chuck is a smart dude but got downloaded with super CIA secrets by his roommate. Now he's a liability and two spies have to protect him. Sara is a hot blonde (he falls in love, of course!) and Casey is a Rambo dude without the accent.
Chuck unwittingly gets himself into a lot of trouble show after show until--at the end of the season--he downloads the spy secret update. Now he not only knows secrets, but he can access knowledge like (1) how to do kung fu, (2) how to box, (3) how to do acrobatics past a series of laser beams to get to a secret safe, and (4) how to speak a foreign language.
In the meantime, Sara and Chuck have a tumultuous relationship. They are both in love with each other but aren't supposed to have feelings because the #1 cardinal rule of spy is "don't fall in love."
Action, adventure, comedy, romantic tension--this show has got it all. check it out!
So for those who are not familiar with the show, Chuck is a smart dude but got downloaded with super CIA secrets by his roommate. Now he's a liability and two spies have to protect him. Sara is a hot blonde (he falls in love, of course!) and Casey is a Rambo dude without the accent.
Chuck unwittingly gets himself into a lot of trouble show after show until--at the end of the season--he downloads the spy secret update. Now he not only knows secrets, but he can access knowledge like (1) how to do kung fu, (2) how to box, (3) how to do acrobatics past a series of laser beams to get to a secret safe, and (4) how to speak a foreign language.
In the meantime, Sara and Chuck have a tumultuous relationship. They are both in love with each other but aren't supposed to have feelings because the #1 cardinal rule of spy is "don't fall in love."
Action, adventure, comedy, romantic tension--this show has got it all. check it out!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Sticking Out in the 5-star Resort
If you ever stay at the Wynn in Vegas, make sure to wear evening attire and come with proper luggage. We didn't--and stuck out, badly.
On our way back to California from Utah, Jeff and I decided to stay in Las Vegas. We got a smokin' deal on Priceline, so we decided, "What the Heck? Let's bring our two-year-old and one-year-old to a five-star, five-diamond resort--the only one in Vegas!"
We got to the Wynn around two in the morning. Lizzy and Jenny had slept most of the way down, so they were awake but bleary-eyed with crazy hair. The dried chocolate smeared all over their mouths (falling asleep while eating candy will do that to you) completed the picture. I didn't want to haul all of our bags into the hotel for such a short stay, so I packed one change of clothes for each of us into a plastic bag.
We walked into the casino awed by the glitz--and surprised that there could be such a variety of short black cocktail dresses. Dressed in jeans and sweatshirts, we carried babies in arms through the poker tables, past the indoor pond, across the mosaic floors, and into the registration area. As we waited for the attendant to register our room, we were greeted with curious stares as the babies twirled and jumped from Jeff to me to Jeff and back again. I have to admit that I gave a few curious stares of my own to the woman with tattooed pawprints up and down both arms.
Finally our room was ready. We gathered our babies, and Jeff reached to pick up the plastic bag. As he picked it up, the handle broke, spilling our clothes out into the middle of the intricately designed plush carpet. An unidentified, stifled "gasp!" disseminated through the purified air. The woman behind the desk, with matching organza on her slate blue dress, tried to be helpful: "Can I get you another plastic bag?" Red-faced but amused at each other's trailer park aura, we just smiled and said, "Sure, thanks!"
The plastic bag she came back with was much too small to be of help, but we thanked her for the effort and made our way to our room with clothes in one hand and babies in the other. We were so embarrassed by our lack of class, we made sure to get a new plastic bag for the return home.
On our way back to California from Utah, Jeff and I decided to stay in Las Vegas. We got a smokin' deal on Priceline, so we decided, "What the Heck? Let's bring our two-year-old and one-year-old to a five-star, five-diamond resort--the only one in Vegas!"
We got to the Wynn around two in the morning. Lizzy and Jenny had slept most of the way down, so they were awake but bleary-eyed with crazy hair. The dried chocolate smeared all over their mouths (falling asleep while eating candy will do that to you) completed the picture. I didn't want to haul all of our bags into the hotel for such a short stay, so I packed one change of clothes for each of us into a plastic bag.
We walked into the casino awed by the glitz--and surprised that there could be such a variety of short black cocktail dresses. Dressed in jeans and sweatshirts, we carried babies in arms through the poker tables, past the indoor pond, across the mosaic floors, and into the registration area. As we waited for the attendant to register our room, we were greeted with curious stares as the babies twirled and jumped from Jeff to me to Jeff and back again. I have to admit that I gave a few curious stares of my own to the woman with tattooed pawprints up and down both arms.
Finally our room was ready. We gathered our babies, and Jeff reached to pick up the plastic bag. As he picked it up, the handle broke, spilling our clothes out into the middle of the intricately designed plush carpet. An unidentified, stifled "gasp!" disseminated through the purified air. The woman behind the desk, with matching organza on her slate blue dress, tried to be helpful: "Can I get you another plastic bag?" Red-faced but amused at each other's trailer park aura, we just smiled and said, "Sure, thanks!"
The plastic bag she came back with was much too small to be of help, but we thanked her for the effort and made our way to our room with clothes in one hand and babies in the other. We were so embarrassed by our lack of class, we made sure to get a new plastic bag for the return home.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Utah drivers, California drivers--who's worse?
My husband and I are having an ongoing conversation about who's worse: Utah drivers or California drivers. Jeff insistst that Utah drivers are annoying, and I think Cali drivers are nuts.
The first time I drove on the CA freeway was on our honeymoon. Jeff and I were driving all of my stuff out from Utah (where I was living at the time), and since we were taking two cars I was forced to drive behind Jeff. The cars came too fast, and there were too many lanes--I couldn't get my bearings, so I putted down the freeway at 55 mph, white-knuckled, sweating, and cursing Jeff for making me drive.
But this trip has proved to me without doubt that Cali drivers are worse. So far, on this trip, Jeff has been pulled over by a policeman for running a stop sign--didn't see it with all of the snow--and we have run our car into a bank during a snowstorm. Luckily the plow came by about 30 seconds later and threw an entire bag of salt under our minivan to get it going again. It's not that Jeff is a bad driver--he's actually pretty good at it (and better than I am, but don't tell him that). It's just that, when it comes to the weather, sunny California doesn't give you many opportunities to develop your snow driving skills!
The first time I drove on the CA freeway was on our honeymoon. Jeff and I were driving all of my stuff out from Utah (where I was living at the time), and since we were taking two cars I was forced to drive behind Jeff. The cars came too fast, and there were too many lanes--I couldn't get my bearings, so I putted down the freeway at 55 mph, white-knuckled, sweating, and cursing Jeff for making me drive.
But this trip has proved to me without doubt that Cali drivers are worse. So far, on this trip, Jeff has been pulled over by a policeman for running a stop sign--didn't see it with all of the snow--and we have run our car into a bank during a snowstorm. Luckily the plow came by about 30 seconds later and threw an entire bag of salt under our minivan to get it going again. It's not that Jeff is a bad driver--he's actually pretty good at it (and better than I am, but don't tell him that). It's just that, when it comes to the weather, sunny California doesn't give you many opportunities to develop your snow driving skills!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Anniversaries
Kids sure throw a wrench into anniversaries.
Tonight, Jeff and I celebrated our fourth anniversary--2 days late. We were celebrating Christmas dinner with my family on the 27th, and my sister's last night in Utah was the 28th, so we celebrated tonight. We were excited to do some after-Christmas shopping, go to dinner, then cuddle in front of the t.v. Jeff even shaved for the occasion.
It was a production to get out the door--first, we had to enlist my mom for babysitting support. Thankfully, she's willing--and the kids like her better than me! Then, we had to forego the naps for Jenny and Lizzy, our one- and two-year-olds, so they would go to sleep at 6:30. Lizzy thinks she belongs right in the middle of the bed between Jeff and me, so we have to get her to go to sleep before we leave or she wanders the house looking for us. Luckily, it only took ten minutes and they were both out like a light.
The anniversary was totally fun--we got Jeff some trendy jeans (finally) and a jacket (and I got a pea coat for $39), then we ate Mexican food, reminiscent of our first date. But, we were ready to head back early for some cuddle time . . . only to find that Lizzy was wide awake on a sugar high, waiting for us to get home.
So now the three of us are headed off to bed, where Lizzy will "shush" us and tell us in her little chipmunk voice to be quiet and scoot over so she can have more space in the bed.
But we don't really mind =).
Tonight, Jeff and I celebrated our fourth anniversary--2 days late. We were celebrating Christmas dinner with my family on the 27th, and my sister's last night in Utah was the 28th, so we celebrated tonight. We were excited to do some after-Christmas shopping, go to dinner, then cuddle in front of the t.v. Jeff even shaved for the occasion.
It was a production to get out the door--first, we had to enlist my mom for babysitting support. Thankfully, she's willing--and the kids like her better than me! Then, we had to forego the naps for Jenny and Lizzy, our one- and two-year-olds, so they would go to sleep at 6:30. Lizzy thinks she belongs right in the middle of the bed between Jeff and me, so we have to get her to go to sleep before we leave or she wanders the house looking for us. Luckily, it only took ten minutes and they were both out like a light.
The anniversary was totally fun--we got Jeff some trendy jeans (finally) and a jacket (and I got a pea coat for $39), then we ate Mexican food, reminiscent of our first date. But, we were ready to head back early for some cuddle time . . . only to find that Lizzy was wide awake on a sugar high, waiting for us to get home.
So now the three of us are headed off to bed, where Lizzy will "shush" us and tell us in her little chipmunk voice to be quiet and scoot over so she can have more space in the bed.
But we don't really mind =).
Sunday, December 27, 2009
A New Direction
I'd like to take a new direction with this blog . . . so tired of academics! Instead, I want to write about the things that are most important to me--my family, my children, my friends, and the relationships that give life meaning. It will be much more fun to write!
Tonight, for example, I was supposed to finish a syllabus for my organizational identification class. Instead, I made dinner with my sisters, talked about pajama pants and fuzzy slippers, and played Guesstures with my kids (with occasional participation by my husband).
I need a place to write about the funny stuff of life. Like when my sister Michelle wipes her teeth with her napkin after meals ("to get the sugar off") or when my brother Steve impersonates Santa on the phone. So I'm putting away my books for a while and looking around to see what is going on around me.
Tonight, for example, I was supposed to finish a syllabus for my organizational identification class. Instead, I made dinner with my sisters, talked about pajama pants and fuzzy slippers, and played Guesstures with my kids (with occasional participation by my husband).
I need a place to write about the funny stuff of life. Like when my sister Michelle wipes her teeth with her napkin after meals ("to get the sugar off") or when my brother Steve impersonates Santa on the phone. So I'm putting away my books for a while and looking around to see what is going on around me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
