Q2: The Non-Things

Thursday, July 28, 2011

If seasons are like candy, then winter is an Everlasting Gobstopper and summer is a brightly colored gum-ball from the 25 cent machine. By the time you gnaw on it long enough to actually begin chewing, the initial burst of sugary flavor is gone and all that remains is a hard, squiggly mass that is heading straight for the closest trash can. In light of the brevity of this fair season, I have been trying my hardest to savor each second, and blogging has not made it onto my to-do list. So, though we are nearly 1/3 of the way into Q3, please allow me to reflect...

My Favorite Non-Thing, Things, of 2011, Q2,
  1. House Guests... being the 'ones who moved away' makes our times with visitors extra special, and the spring of the year brought many of our favorite folks to town. We enjoyed a long weekend with my hubby's cousin, Kyndal, from Pittsburgh, her hubby, Brett, and their two pint-sized cuties.. Though Kyndal and I realized we'd only actually met in person a couple of times, we have really bonded via Facebook, Skype, emails, texts, etc... over the past couple years as we've each begun the journey into Mommydom. My precious sis-in-law, affectionally known as Aunt Kiki, paid us a visit for a weekend in early April and liked Denver so much that she moved here and became our neighbor! My sweet Charlotte girls, Byers and Lilly, spent a week with us in June, and Pookie reveled in all extra attention from the big girls. We truly had a ball, and the week went by far too quickly. My cousin, Roxie, paid us an impromptu Friday evening visit as she was road-trippin' from Oregon to Pennsylvania. Loved seeing her for a quick catch up, but the visit was far too short! 
  2. Vacations... I have an expression that I often use, "If your kids are going, it's a trip; if they're not, it's a vacation!" Well, thankful to my wonderful mom (AKA Nanny AKA Babs), hubby and I were able to take two vacations-yes, that means sans kiddos. In April, we spent a long weekend in Montego Bay, Jamaica, for the wedding of a dear friend of mine. That trip marked the first morning in over six months, that I had woken up on my time rather than that of an infant's. We had a wonderful time seeing a new place and meeting new people, all the while realizing that Jamaica was jut the appetizer to the main course that would be arriving in late May. The day before Memorial Day, we embarked for a week long vacation to HAWAII! It was an amazing time to get away together and celebrate our five year wedding anniversary. We spent a whole lot of time doing a whole lot of nothing, and it was divine.
  3. Memoirs... I love a good book, particularly a good memoir. Unfortunately since the birth of my second child, I have rarely been able to read an entire issue of US Weekly without falling asleep, let alone an entire book. Well, thanks to the vacations we took, I was able to read three books cover to cover (well, technically, two were IPAD versions)! I read: Lies Chelsea Handler Told Me (Chelsea Handler and friends), Bossy Pants (Tina Fey), and Stories I Only Tell My Friends (Rob Lowe.) Each was great in its own right: I've read and enjoyed all of Chelsea's books; Tina's book had me, literally, laughing out loud; and I was especially impressed with Rob Lowe's talent as a writer. He not only had interesting stories to tell, but he told them well and without the help of a co-writer. 
  4. The Start of Summer... as I stated at the beginning of this post, summer just goes by way too quickly, but those first tastes of it were just amazing. When May began to bring days in the 70's that allowed Saturday morning breakfast picnics and evening strolls, I felt my spirit begin to lift. I don't think I realized how long winter had lasted until our first tastes of summer (we really didn't have a spring this year) appeared. There's something both invigorating and rejuvenating about sunshine, longer days, and green grass!
  5. Watching My Girls' Relationship... I could be a bit partial, but I have to say that I think Carter may be the most loving, kind, caring big sister. Ever. She is eager to be the first one to Murphy's room when she hears that she's awakened from a nap. She bounces up the stairs, throws open the door, and climbs right into the crib to give Murphy kisses and hugs. If Murphy is sad, Carter tries her hardest to make her happy even if it means giving up one of her own toys. And, Murphy, well, she can't say it yet, but I can tell she's pretty crazy about Carter, too. She does lots of staring and smiling and cooing in her direction. And I am completely envious of their sisterly bond and am loving watching every second of its evolution. 
As Non-thing, Things, go Q2 was pretty amazing.

Favorite Things, Q2

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

It's that time again! As June came to an end, I began to think about what things had made my life better or more fun in the previous three months. Though life has been crazy thus leaving little time for blogging, I'm finally sitting down to share my list.
Here they are, my Favorite Things of 2011, Q2...
  1. L. Erickson Double Loop Bow Headband... armed with a giftcard I'd received from my in-laws for Mother's Day, I hit the accessories department of Nordstrom looking for nothing in particular when this adorable, black headband caught my eye. Now, I don't know about you, but I rarely find a headband that fits just right. I'm not sure if my head is uneven or if the headbands are just lopsided, but I have seldom found a headband that I wore more than a couple of times. This one has gotten lots of wear, and I just discovered that it comes in a ton of cool colors! Yes, please! Double-Loop Bow Headband
  2. Lysol Dual-Action Disinfecting Wipes... I bought these because I thought they would come in handy for all the little messes that I encounter throughout the day. What I discovered, though, is that they are completely multi-functional. I use them in both the kitchen and bathroom and keep a pack in my car as the abrasive side is perfect for wiping sticky things off leather.  My favorite, randomly discovered use for them though, is as an upholstery and carpet cleaner. These wipes have completely removed stains that have been on my sofa for months and a large spot on the carpet that even a professional cleaning left behind! Lysol Wipes
  3. Airbrush Tanning... being a fair-skinned gal, I've tried a wide range of tanning products over the years. (Remember those first generation tan-in-a-bottles that left your skin looking like that of an Oompa Loompa?) I used my share of tanning beds before realizing that the dangers of them far outweighs that 'healthy' glow they produce. I've been fairly pleased with the Mystic Tan type booths but found that they tended to be uneven and to fade quickly. So, in April before attending a wedding in Jamaica (where, I should add I was the only non-African American bridesmaid making my fairness all the more obvious), I stepped into a tanning tent to get airbrushed Toddlers and Tiaras style. I'll admit, standing in the buff just inches from the face of a complete stranger who was armed with an oozie full of beet juice was at first a bit, um, uncomfortable. I was SO happy with the finished product, however, that I returned two more times over the next couple months. I may be the only person to ever begin my Hawaiian vacation more 'tan' than when I ended it! Natural Beetjuice Airbrush Tanning
  4. Mrs. Meyer's Honeysuckle Countertop Spray... I've been a big fan of Mrs. Meyer's cleaning products for the past couple of years. Until recently, I had been seriously devoted to the geranium scent, only branching out to basil and lavender when the geranium wasn't available. On a recent Whole Foods adventure (isn't every trip to Whole Foods an adventure?), I found the entire Mrs. Meyer's line to be drastically on sale with additional coupons attached to the bottles.  I decided that at under $2 a bottle, this was the time for me to stock up. I picked up a range of several products including dish soap, hand soap, and countertop spray. The honeysuckle countertop spray has me, literally, looking for reasons to use it. I love the fresh, springy scent it creates in the house, and it may have taken over geranium's spot as my #1. Mrs. Meyer's Honeysuckle Countertop Spray
  5. DIRECTV Whole-Home DVR... early in the spring, I decided it was time to get serious (well, as serious as one can get while continuing to eat Oreos for breakfast) about getting in shape. Fortunately, we had invested in an at home elliptical machine late last year, so I didn't have to make too much effort to start a workout regimen. Even with the ease of working out in my own bedroom, without the shows on my DVR list, I never would have made it! I prepped for swimsuit season by elliptical-ing to all the daytime tv I never get to see (The View) and silly reality shows (Pregnant in Heels) I would never take the time to watch otherwise. DIRECTV Whole Home DVR
This list is a tad shorter than Q1's list, but I didn't want to add things that I don't truly love just to have congruent lists. I can only single out one more thing, 5 Hour Energy Shots,  (yes, I know slipping that in is kind-of cheating), and I could not possibly have a list of six items (I'll save that explanation for another day...) 
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