tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-138534702024-03-05T01:58:22.219-06:00Hanging by a Nerve ...Glimpses into the {crazy} life of a single mom of twoVictoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.comBlogger230125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-52973881408214803952012-01-21T08:25:00.008-06:002012-05-29T20:01:02.205-05:00Catching Up.Well, I've let my little slice of the web lie dormant for about a year, now, so it's probably time for that annual "this year I'm really going to stay current" vow and a few weeks' worth of posts before I get busy again and neglect my blog.A lot has happened over the past year. There have been ups (a new dog and a rockin' boyfriend) and downs (I was part of the "reduction in force" at my job in Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-30847078402572984492012-01-20T09:33:00.003-06:002012-05-29T20:01:02.200-05:00Oh. Hai.*clears throat, taps mic*Is this thing on?(Looks around, a little embarrassed at all the dust and cobwebs, dusts off the stool.)Was thinking about getting back into blogging. Anyone still around?Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-3888447894105292622011-01-17T22:51:00.002-06:002012-05-29T20:01:02.201-05:00It's a new beginning - you thought you lost, but honey you won.Just a little happy, along the way.Sometimes the shit life gives us ends up improving the hell out of our gardens. Don't ever forget that :).Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-64259310756457888762011-01-01T05:26:00.000-06:002012-05-29T20:01:02.206-05:00Happy New Year.This should be a more cheerful post.It's the new year, new beginning, fresh start, tabula rasa ... all that stuff. It should be an optimistic, hopeful time. Unless you begin your year with my kids, that is. I so badly want to be a great mom. I want to be calm, compassionate. I want to be able to love and accept these kids at face value, not holler, not threaten. I truly do see being a mom as my Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-48038687530458666932010-12-11T00:01:00.001-06:002010-12-11T00:08:55.960-06:00Happy Birthday LuLu!.Your Royal Tininess ...It's been a joy to watch you grow up; to see your personality develop and to learn about who you are. You're just such a cool little person, and I love everything about you. Happy Birthday, sweetheart.BirthOne yearTwo yearsAnd three Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-33757846334070089032010-12-05T19:10:00.006-06:002010-12-05T19:47:11.350-06:00When you're chewing on life's gristle, don't grumble - give a whistle.The Thanksgiving break was, I think, a little hard on the Big Girl. Not that she minded the extra home time. It was the change in routine that threw her; a few days at 'daycare' (which she declared was "too little for me; the kids in pre-K just don't *know* anything"), and was a complete break for the predictable routine she has at Kindy. Then a lot of special togetherness days at home. With me.Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-77654218222365467622010-12-01T19:22:00.001-06:002010-12-01T19:22:00.856-06:00Texas Chili.For Miss O's 2nd birthday party, I made a Texas-style chili that everyone (very kindly) raved about. When I was invited to a soup swap recently, I decided to replicate my efforts, and actually (a first for me) keep track of what and how much I used to create a recipe. I tend to just be a wing-it type of cook; I'm not really a details kind of person when it comes to cooking (which is likely why IVictoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-74126985512989175042010-11-30T20:24:00.006-06:002010-11-30T21:42:44.174-06:00If only Rudoplh would BTFO ....Was talking to Miss O today about the joy that is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer ...... and *honestly* - is that not just the suckiest message for kids? Ever? His parents are embarrassed of him because he looks different, the other reindeer mock him and even Santa thinks he's worthless because of his nose. "Rudolph, those are some mad flying skillz, but you've got a shiny nose, so tough Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-50944541003818402502010-11-28T20:27:00.000-06:002010-11-28T20:27:59.502-06:00Austin Zoo, 11.28.10We love our Austin Zoo membership and visit often. We got there right around opening time today, and the crisp, cool air made for great visit. Miss O was most taken by an orange kitty cat, not at all wild or exotic, and would have been content with a visit that consisted of just hanging with that kitty. Said kitty is missing an eye, and Miss O declared "I can be the person that finds lost kitty Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-32975796033743391692010-11-28T06:22:00.003-06:002010-11-28T06:58:41.340-06:00Kiddie Acres November 2010Fueling upRiding the carouselBudding pilotsMy little horsewomenMaking new friends on the ferris wheelGoing homeVictoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-47387202228986879472010-11-25T09:02:00.002-06:002010-11-25T09:24:39.373-06:00I'm thankful for ....Looking back over the past year, I'm thankful for CuriositySillinessSnow DaysBluebonnetsFamilySolitudeNatureJoyFriendsMy girlsVictoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-40671386240992188472010-11-25T06:44:00.002-06:002012-05-29T20:01:02.203-05:00.I'm thankful for so many things ... I actually kind of consider Joe Walsh's "Life's Been Good" a theme song of mine. Well, that and Frank Sinatra's "My Way" ... but "My Way" isn't quite as giving-thanks-y. I mean, I'm thankful that I can and have done things my way, but that's not the point today.Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-9505065891172513092010-11-10T06:23:00.006-06:002010-11-30T20:43:39.987-06:00Sh*t My Three Year Old Says.Technically, she won't be three for a month, but close enough. Lu has been on a roll lately with the things she says. Below are a few I've captured for your reading pleasure."We can't hang Bean's picture outside because hopper-grasses will get it!"Lu: "Get off of my finger, you silly things"Mommy: "It's probably just glue"Li: "It's skin. From dolphins. I don't know how to get the skin from the Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-33576371147523614682010-11-09T21:34:00.007-06:002010-11-09T22:12:48.025-06:00Oh Bwunhilde, you'w so wuvwy!.After a long five days without them, the girls are back. Their dad will be out of town on his regular Thursday, so he picked up the Monday shift. I had a 9:00 meeting today, so his timing was pretty good. Except for the fact that he returned Bean to me with a sore throat ... and he's heading out of town tomorrow. Just once I want to be the one leaving town when a kid is getting sick. Regardless,Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-45681216151486535032010-11-07T15:22:00.004-06:002010-11-07T15:35:21.029-06:00Oh balls ....As my kids have aged, it's led to phone conversations with the in absentia parent. Sometimes these are brief, parent-initiated calls, and sometimes they're more involved kid-initiated calls. I've called them at their dad's several times, wanting to say hi, only to hear them say politely "no thanks" when he asks them if they want to talk to me :) But miss a kid-initiated call, and you'd think Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-53691544037016083452010-11-05T17:25:00.001-05:002010-11-05T20:19:54.734-05:00Do you know the muffin chick?.It's funny; I used to always have my blog set to the WYSIWYG editor, but lately I've been firing it up using the HTML editor. Technically, the Blogger interface should be called the "kinda-sorta-html-editor", as you don't have to format text or paragraphs or anything, but it's the HTML editor. And I sound damn cool saying I'm using the HTML editor. (My mom is still trying to figure out what I'm Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-63914221136023334282010-11-03T22:40:00.001-05:002010-11-03T22:43:29.339-05:00Wordless WednesdayVictoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-42557116195284830582010-11-01T22:28:00.005-05:002010-11-01T23:52:17.551-05:00Howdy, y'all.Happy NaBloPoMo!For the less-bloggy, it's National Blog Posting Month, where bloggers commit to posting daily for the month. I've been slacking so badly on my blog, I'll give it a whirl to see if it kicks my butt back into posting more regularly. I'm trying to reconcile it being November first with having to still run the air conditioning. I so miss North Carolina in the fall ... windows open, Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-2775952527228865852010-10-08T13:43:00.004-05:002010-10-08T14:38:49.419-05:00Be the change you wish to see in the world - Ghandi.There's so much going on these days, in my life and in the world. It's so easy to lose track of something like a blog; it's kind of a conceit (in the fanciful trifle sort of way, not the ego way, but blogs are kind of ego-driven, as well).I'm struggling a lot with how unkind the world seems to have become. It's due in large part to the recent surge in suicides among young people who have been Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-16871904395401919842010-08-28T06:45:00.003-05:002010-08-28T07:49:28.126-05:00The first day back. It always gets me..How much do I suck at blogging?I spend all day at work on the 'puter, and when I get home, it's just hard to motivate myself to typing up a blog post. It doesn't help that I'm starting to develop signs of carpal tunnel in my right hand again. I had brutal CTS when I was pregnant, in both wrists, so at least it's just the one side now. I'm sure steroid shots are in the near future, and possibly Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-84679944647395261922010-07-24T19:53:00.004-05:002010-07-25T22:13:00.459-05:00Alaska Day One: Anchorage --> Portage Glacier.I'm not sure anyone really *cares* about the details, but I have like a thousand pictures and I've been missing Alaska something fierce, so y'all are stuck with a day-by-day series of posts. Actually, you're not stuck. The little x on the upper right (or left, for Mac users) corner can make it all go away :)My first day in Alaska I drove southeast on the Seward Highway along Turnagin Arm. Along Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-3459080976850030462010-07-19T19:23:00.003-05:002010-07-19T19:28:49.739-05:00Lu-Lu's Opera.(All sung to a baby doll and two stuffed Bambis, unless otherwise noted. And we all thought Bean had the lock on unintentional comedy.)I want my gramma and my grampaGrampa is my favoriteGrampa is my favorite boyI forgot my deerI'll go get it, I'll be right backCan I come with you?No, you can stay right here, I'll be right back (spoken)Mama, I'm getting my baby deerher name is BambiI found herVictoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-80144049550885328512010-07-14T22:16:00.006-05:002010-07-17T23:41:31.927-05:00To the lover of wilderness, Alaska is one of the most wonderful countries in the world..(Title quote from John Muir)I've been home for almost two weeks, and Bean's b-day got it's spotlight, so it's time for the rundown on my trip to Alaska.I was off-duty July 4th weekend, and had the 5th off, so I decided to extend it a little on both sides and take myself on vacation. I had considered Wisconsin to visit family, and Florida to visit friends and my sister, but - much as I love my Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-85285123666641464322010-07-08T19:09:00.009-05:002010-07-14T22:05:51.996-05:00Happy Fifth Birthday Bean!!.Sweets, we've gone through a lot together so far, and I wanted you to know what I know:You have a heart as big as TexasYou make me laugh every. single. day.You've changed me, for the better, in so many ways.You're an amazing person.You ask so many great questions about the world around you.Your curiosity and inquisitiveness keep me on my toes.You're sweet and loving and never hesitate to show Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13853470.post-7360232226618717282010-06-26T22:30:00.004-05:002010-06-26T23:03:32.088-05:00Come on! It's a party!.Today was the big girl's 5th birthday party. We did a joint party with two of her best friends, the fabulous Miss C and the irrepressible Miss A. Miss C's b-day is about two weeks before Bean's, and Miss A's is the day after Bean's. We usually have a 4-week run of parties, interrupted by July 4th, as a result. This year, we opted for the joint party approach. And, believe it or not, it went off Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13925344793260230297noreply@blogger.com1