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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Random Tuesday


Stacy

My thoughts on Hurricane Irene
* Sure the news got a little hyper about the "potential" but at least they are taking the dangers seriously. Today writers are complaining that they bought too many supplies and are mad about the hype. But I remember watching Hurricane Katrina approach New Orleans in absolute horror. I've live through a Cat. 3 storm so could only imagine the dangers from a Cat. 5. I couldn't believe how relaxed the residents looked before the storm and the lack of preparations the city was making. So to watch New York shut down mass transit and give the public stiff warnings was gratifying. Thanks for taking the hurricane seriously guys. Side note, I don't watch TV anymore so was not privy to the constant battering of hype from our local corespondents, nor was I in New York where I'm sure the news hype was even worse. However, having lived through it myself, I've learned when to tune in and when to tune out. Listen for the facts, then be prepared with enough supplies to ride out the potential damage.

Men in Black 3
* Apparently I'm the last to learn of this movie in the making!!! So.Excited!!! Personally a huge fan and even bigger fan of the short in front of part 2 called "The Chubs Chubs Are Coming". Which can be seen here on You Tube! http://youtu.be/wzqi1bfflDg

Library Books
* A while ago, I thought it would be a good idea to save money and check out a library book. Not only have I NOT read it, I bought the books I really wanted. Now it's overdue. Fail.

Sam
* Is 13mo today. Knows how to stand on sister's bed and turn lights on and off. A useful tool when trying to prevent mom from cleaning.
* Continues to think big sister will someday help him in his attempts to communicate with us. Does not realize her squeals of "get Sam off me" are not invitations.
* Is displaying affinities for certain foods and refusal for others. Common technique for his age but prior to this was eating everything in sight.
* Enjoys a good game of Peek-A-Boo


Have a great Tuesday!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Conversations with a 3 year old

"Mom! I want to talk to you", demands 3 yr old.

Clue - she wants me to talk to her.

"Oooookay. I like Charlotte, I like Sam, I like daddy, I like roses, I like pancakes, I like Charlotte's smile, I like Charlotte's eyes, I like Charlotte's hair -

Stop

She gives me a huge hug and gets super happy. Apparently I said everything she wanted to hear - vain little girl.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Random Tuesday



Morning Random followers, check out this cute video titled "interview with a 1 year old"

http://youtu.be/bq2T7jP7dpQ

Funny right? Why bother with TV when YouTube is so much fun!

Charlotte's favorite game is to find babies everywhere. There are baby flowers (flower buds), baby seed pods, baby forks, baby squishies, baby lizards, baby jewels - yes even jewels have become babies.

She has a favorite red jewel that she carries around the house and loses on a daily basis. Yesterday, after finding it in a pillow pocket, she gave it a bottle and put it to sleep.

That's all I got! Have a great Tuesday!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Working Mommy Wednesday



This week's prompt: What would you do for fun if you had to give up TV and internet?

We gave up cable this summer and I haven't missed it. Even Charlotte, who enjoyed her morning line-up tremendously didn't miss it since we timed the drop with a two week vacation to my mom's house who has no cable. We came home and she didn't even ask for it.

So what do we do instead? Well Charlotte spends more time playing with her toys and brother. They've devised elaborate games like Sam will climb into the papasin and just roll around on top of each other. The noise level has ratchet up but they are both looking at books and playing together.

As for the parents, we do chores in the evenings or get on the internet to read blogs, news and Facebook.

Which leaves me to the last part of the question - go without internet! It would be challenging. We'd have to get a newspaper and actually read articles rather than quick news clips. We'd have to write actual letters to our friends and family or call them more often on the phone. Speaking of which, I do owe my younger brother a call.

In summary, it would be harder to live without the internet!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

England - missed the riots!

Not the England I was expecting. I've been here in 2006 and 2008 and recall it as one of my favorite cities. This time we've seen the riots in the news all week and got increasingly nervous by Wednesday. Boss canceled our hotel stay in London and we took several trains to reach Fleet, England, about an hour into the country side. Didn't see any signs of rioting on our way through London.

I've never spent time in the country side of England before. It's quite beautiful. We started at the Four Seasons where boss's sister works, she treated us to late lunch. It's a stunning property with horses and bicycles. Perhaps the place you might read about famous people visiting for holiday in the countryside. Not that his sister can divulge that kind of information.

We spent the night at his sister's place, she would have been offended to put us up in her hotel. This was somewhat perplexing considering there was one working shower for four adults. I spent the morning wondering when it was appropriate to take a shower. I must have waited too long because we reached the train one minute before departure.

London was not as interesting as before. With only an afternoon to shop and a boss's shoes hurting him, we visited the Disney Store, Carters and Nike. I found some cute stuff at Carter's for my kids and an umbrella for Charlotte at the Disney Store. Nothing London related at Nike, they got ride of all the city specific lines. Too bad.

Now I'm back in the country side at 6pm waiting for sister and roommate to get home so we can eat dinner. Tomorrow I leave at noon. Looks like Paris was the highlight. Wish I had more time to visit blogger friend Grit's Day but just couldn't seem to work out the timing. Turns out, we are 1 hour from each other!!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Favorite Photos of Paris

Mickey Sorcerer, found in the back lot where only employees go.

Castle at Disneyland Paris

I just liked the sky and black city line.

Does anyone know what this gold flame is? It had hand made signs surrounding it, one appeared to be for Princess Diana.

Random Graffiti

Last nights menu was in French, I still managed to order well!

I love this pitcher.

I really like this sign, maybe I can find one for my kitchen!

Cartoon on menu.

Room Service in Paris (last day)

"Bonjour, I'd like to order room service", self.

"Bonjour madame, you would like Cafe Au Lait and 4 chocolate buns, I remember from yesterday", room service.

"Why yes! That would be wonderful", self.

Room service just made my day!

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Random Tuesday Thoughts


Stacy

I really think Paris might be my new favorite city, sorry London! Paris has you beat on food!!!

I can't think of a better way to start the day then with Pain au Chocolat (chocolate croissants) and Café Au Lait! Add a little glass jar of plain yogurt and it's the perfect breakfast. Add no meetings until 3pm so I can sleep in, take an hour long bath in the morning then have said breakfast and I'm feeling quite happy.

Would it be too much to order a few more chocolate croissants? I don't think so!!! And what a classy hotel for not even making me sign a receipt! I've always wondered about the real point of that, just put it on my final bill!! Finally a hotel that "gets me"!!

My only regret is not brushing up on my French before coming - somewhere in the two weeks between our last road trip and this trip! I've found that English really isn't spoken here and I should have at least put the basics to memory. So if I ever come back alone, without boss who speaks French, I'll definitely have to remember to brush up on my French!

Finally, speaking of random, yesterday as we returned to our hotel on the train, a young guy stepped onto the train with a boom box playing Micheal Jackson's song "Billie Jean". He proceeded to dance like MJ for about 10 minutes before getting off the train. People mostly ignored him. I thought it was cool to see a young guy passionate enough about his art that he's willing to perform in the most random of places.

Sunday, August 07, 2011

So this is Paris?

It is as I had hoped it would be. Very few American brands. Sure you have the token McDonalds on the Champs Elysees but Starbucks could only be found on the inside of a building, in other words, it didn't have an outward facing sign. Other than these two, I didn't see any other mainstream American restaurants - to which I'm eternally thankful. Nothing more disappointing than seeing your own food pop up every where you go.

We started our day at a lovely cafe that served breakfast that seemed to be in Parisian territory, not tourist zoned. During our hour long stay we watched as families would pass us, then 15-20 minutes later pass again with baguette. I noted baguettes stuffed into backpacks, purses, in arms - none ever with paper. We are such a paper society in the US, everything wrapped in paper.




Post breakfast we walked from noon - 5pm! Just walked and walked around the city, saw the Eiffel tower, line was too long to actually go up but it was really neat walking under it. I'm not sure I ever really appreciated the architectural value until I stood under it and exclaimed "it's like a park UNDER the tower, how cool is that"! The space is so open and friendly under the tower with it's broad legs heading 4 directions and made of steel bars that you can see through that it just seems like a giant sculpture, with beautiful arches and giant feet to stand on. The surrounding area is a giant park filled with people lolling about on the grass. I amused myself by taking odd angle photos of the tower.


Directly across from the tower was a festival where we had lunch of the most amazing sausage link and onion sandwiches one could hope to have. The smell alone brought us into the area.

Did I mention the weather yet? While we roast back home in the 90's, it's 70 max here! Just an absolutely perfect day for a stroll outside.

So aside from little sleep on the plane and quite tired from walking all day, I'm really enjoying myself.

Thoughts on Paris

As I sat in the plane awaiting take off I had a flash back to myself in high school, taking French classes, never thinking I'd actually every go and visit France. I didn't even have a passport. Then I thought, what if I had taken it more seriously and saved up the money to go on a school sponsored trip, I'd have been sitting in the plane awaiting take off with all the giddy excitement a teen can muster. Then I looked at myself now, 35 years old and exhausted at 5:35pm. Sad from leaving two small children with their first babysitter (non-family) and I had to smile at the difference 18 years will make.

Saturday, August 06, 2011

Next trip booked before boarding today's plane!

It's the story of my life this year. For every trip I've gone on, plans for the next one have been fast-tracked so that I'm booking the next one before completing the current one.

Due to circumstances out of our control, husband cannot go with me to my mom's wedding on the 20th so he's staying home and I'm now booked to fly home with a three year old and one year old in my lap. I'm terrified - to say the least! And desperately hoping for a 1/2 full plane so we have some room to maneuver. We will survive - right?

Friday, August 05, 2011

My bags are packed for Paris!

Leaving tomorrow at 5:45pm. Such an odd time of departure. I'll be sleeping on the plane (I hope) and arriving to Paris at 8:45am. Sound discombobulating.

The kids will have their first ever babysitter (non-family) from 2:30 - 5:30. Think she (the babysitter) will survive? I hope so!!

I work a 1/2 day on Friday's and husband works the other 1/2. Today I managed to get 2 hours of two kids napping together to put away laundry and finish packing. It was like a miracle!

Upon waking I made a Peach Coffee Cake for the family, because I'm nice like that. It makes for a quick breakfast in the mornings. It took forever to make. I swear I started at 4:30 and didn't end until 7pm. I had promised Charlotte a trip to Chick Fil A and she's of the age where she remembers stuff so she held me to it - even though we got there at 8pm. Surprisingly there were a ton of kids playing. We stayed 20 minutes and left. At least we did it! I can't leave for a week and not keep a little promise to my princess.

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

Working Mommy Wednesday


This week's prompt:

What tools or habits do you use to keep organized?

My favorite tool is Outlook folders. I file every email I receive in a folder system that is: Clientname with sub folder of project name. I only file the email once it's been read and action-ed/answered/etc. Beyond this, I have client charts with all current projects listed. Go through it several times a week.

Have a great Wednesday ladies!

Monday, August 01, 2011

Trip to Paris

Strolls into bosses office, asks "um, would it be okay to leave my computer behind during our Paris trip next week?"

Boss looks in horror like I've suggested employing child labor. "No, you cannot leave your computer behind, this is a WORKING trip".

But we are going to be walking a lot, going into stores and not having much time on the computer anyway. Less to pack right?

Clearly I've not thought this one through. No computer means no SKYPE time with family and Facebook! I can't live without social media! What was I thinking???

Thank you boss for saving me from myself.