FSW Uno

First, thank you, thank you, thank you for the comments about summer romance. I've loved reading each and every one of them - even the ones from people who've never had a summer romance. Maybe I should add "adding romance to my summer" to my list of summer things to do. Anyway. . .

FSW = Fun Summer Wednesday

Stephanie and I have big plans to spend QT together each Wednesday. Today's plans included pizza eating, Sex and the City watching, scrapbooking, and photography educating.


I now understand white balance and ISO. I just need to get my tail out there and play around.

P.S. I made tomato salad for dinner. I researched their origin and made sure they were still attached to a vine. They just looked too red and beautiful and tomato-y to throw away. I think they are safe to eat, but if you don't hear from me for a few days it's safe to assume that I've got the salmonella.

Wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow I will tell you all about my weekend plans.

Summer

(Don't worry. I don't think that I will only do blog posts about summer. I just need a few days to get over the fact that summer vacation has arrived.)

Today I'm thinking about summer romance.

I think it was some song on the radio (Okay. I'll admit it. I was listening to "Summertime" by New Kids on the Block) that really got me to thinking about it. Then I thought about Dirty Dancing and Grease. Then I thought about 90210 - specifically the summer Brenda went to Paris and had a hot summer fling with Rick. Then I got to thinking about Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

I'm feeling left out.

I never had a summer romance. I started dating Brad in the summer (we worked together at the drive-in movies), but we kept dating in fall. Breaking up at then end of summer seems like a critical part of a summer romance.

Don't worry. I'm not planning to have a summer romance this summer.

I'm just saying - I've never had one.

I'd love to live vicariously through you. Who's willing to dish about their summer romance?

I {heart} my job

There is not a single day in the entire year that I love my job more than today.
Staring down the prospect of nearly three months of uninterrupted (except when I choose to be interrupted) summer makes me a happy girl - a very happy girl.

I have plans for this summer - big plans.

1. Watch every episode of Sex and the City - even if I've seen it before.
2. Exercise - even though I hate it - at least twice a week.
3. Read some books for fun.
4. Scrapbook (especially finishing a MMM entry).
5. Learn more about photography.

That seems like enough for now, doesn't it?

Happy summer!

28.5

There are some things about my birthday that are pretty miserable.

First. My birthday is shortly before Christmas. This means I only get to make one list a year. I make a combo birthday-Christmas list. This is fine and dandy because it means I get many of the things I want in December. But, what about the things I want in March or June or September? What about those things?!!?

Second. My birthday is only one week before Brad's. That means in two weeks we celebrate two birthdays. That is two fancy dinners. That is two cakes. That is two parties. That is someone else inadvertently stealing my thunder. That is just a bit too much celebrating in a bit too little time.

So, I've proposed many times. . . and will say it again here tonight. . .
I should celebrate my half-birthday.

What brings up this rant, you may ask?
Well. Today I am 28.5.
It is my half-birthday.

Brad refuses to let me officially celebrate the half-birthday and did not, in fact, buy me a present or flowers or a fancy dinner tonight. He thinks that celebrating the half-birthday is just a ploy to get presents twice in one year. (He insists that after celebrating the half-birthday in June, I would still expect to receive gifts and celebration again in December.)

I shared this theory--my belief that I should celebrate my half-birthday--with some colleagues today. I also shared that Josie and I are going to see New Kids on the Block. Their prompt reply, "What are you? 13?" Apparently, the half-birthday concept is lost on them, too.

So, here's to 28.5.
May the last half of 28 be as great as the first half.

Blast from the Past

Last night's avatar theme at the June Studio Calico premiere was glamor.

As a gift for being such loyal readers, I thought I'd share with you some of my most glamorous moments from high school.

Dear Readers, I am proud to present the Babs's high school dance photo collection. Enjoy.

NOTE: Some alterations have been made to the pictures to protect the identities of those involved.

June (almost)

So. . it's almost June.

June means lots of things:

• my half birthday (June 3rd)
• the end of school (June 9th)
• hopefully, Warrior's arrival (no guarantees, though)
• the start of FSW (Fun Summer Wednesdays) with Stephanie (June 11th)

It also means the premiere of another great Scrap-tastic kit.

the Lie

Remember yesterday's post?

Well. . .
Brad did babysit Natalie and Katelyn all by himself.

I did get a tattoo!

I am taking a class with Ali Edwards.

I did buy that fabulous new bag.

The lie?
I'm not getting my hair cut until tomorrow. I do think it will be shorter, but I think the color is staying the same.

4 Truths and a Lie

Which of the following is not true?

1. Babysitter Extraordinaire
Brad watched Natalie and Katelyn all by himself today for about six hours. He played with them, tried to get them to nap, fed them, and even did bath. Brad's a rock star.

2. Geneva Ink
I got a tattoo today. . . I was on a girls' weekend celebrating a friend's 30th. We decided to go the spa for pedicure, a bath, and a massage. We topped it off with tattoos. Mine is a Chinese character that means to understand.

3. Blow Out
Because I've had it with my uncooperative hair, I decided on a drastic new look. . . all-over color in a nice brown and drastically shorter.

4. Ready to Learn
I'm all signed up for a class with the ultra-fabulous and inspiring Ali Edwards in Chicago on June 26th.

5. Bag Lady
I bought another new purse. It looks very similar to this. . . but larger.

New News Pet Peeve

Our local news stations are incessantly covering the price of gas.

Why?
Why?
Why?

Unless you are homebound, you are aware that gas prices are $4.00+ a gallon.
And, if you are homebound why do you even need to know the price of gas.

In other news. . .
can I just quickly say that at the exact moment that Grey's Anatomy ended last night everything was right with the world. And how silly that at one point in the show I had to pause to explain to Brad that no one was with anyone else. No one was hooking up. But, that all changed.

On my mind. . .

This picture really got me to thinking about summer. (Hammocks are one of my favorite things about summer.)

Here are a few other things I'm really looking forward to about summer:

• pedicures
• sun tea
• drive-in movies
• afternoon naps
• grilling out
• summer reads
• smell of sunscreen
  

Speaking of summer reads. . . here's what I'm reading right now:
Assassination Vacation
Expecting Adam
Bootcamp
Three Cups of Tea

What do you suggest I add to my list?

Numbers Don't Lie

11: The number of days since I last blogged.
(Sorry about that. Life has been happening. I don't know that I've ever been away from my babbles for that long.)

7: The number of weeks until Warrior is schedule to make his or her big arrival.
Angie, Liz, and I threw a most beautiful baby shower for the fabulous mama-to-be on Saturday. Martha Stewart would have been proud. But, seriously. Have I recently mentioned how excited I am to meet this kid? I cannot wait to be an aunt again. I have lots of spoiling and hugging and loving planned for this kiddo.

A couple of quick shots from the shower. . . the party favors. It kind of tough to tell because they are upside down, but the favors were pacifiers made out of butterscotch candies, lifesavers, and jellybeans.


. . . the table arrangement. Totally Angie's idea.


17: The number of pages of my finished paper about dysfunctional teams.


2: The number of martinis Brad and I drank to celebrate turning in said paper.
Note: The grasshopper martini belongs to my husband - not to me. Manly, huh?

66: The page number that my lay-out appears on in the new Scrapbooks, Etc. idea book. (Natalie is pretty pumped about being in a magazine.)


Undisclosed: The number of dollars spent on Amy Butler scrapbooking goodies at Michael's on Friday. (Too bad the number minutes spent scrapbooking recently is ZERO.)


13.1: The number of miles Brad ran today.
He was awfully speedy about it, too. 8 minute miles. Go, Brad, Go.

0: The number of New Kids on the Block tickets I was able to score.
No fear, though. Josie tells me that there is another show in Chicago added and a show in Milwaukee. I will see Joey and Donnie and Jordan and and Jonathon and Dannie.

15: The number of days of school left this year.
Need I say more?

1: Katelyn's new age.


I promise, promise, promise to be a better Blogger.

I'm alive.

I am alive. I'm recovering from last week's paper-writing flurry and bracing for this weekend's paper-writing flurry.

Here's an update.

• I still have not found my bedroom floor.
• I did do the laundry, but the clean clothes are currently scattered on the bedroom floor!
• I have not cleaned the floor, and Memphis has been doing nothing but shedding and tracking mud into the already dirty floor.
• I did go the bank. . . but, I didn't make it there until yesterday.
• I emailed the 15 page paper on Monday. DONE!
• I wrote the first page of the second 15 page paper yesterday. I wrote an outline, too.
• I haven't scrapped anything, but my Studio Calico kit did arrive yesterday!

In other news. . .

• Katelyn is turning one on Friday! Can you believe it!??!
• Angie's baby shower is less than two weeks away.
  
• Brad's half-marathon is less than two weeks away.
• I actually bought and mailed Mother's Day cards on time this year.
• I'm wearing sandals and a skirt without nylons to work today. I'm completely prepared to blind some poor unsuspecting souls with my white, white legs.
• Stephanie and I have a Giada-esque pasta-making extravaganza planned for Thursday night. Think fresh pasta and sauce and a little Grey's Anatomy. Good times!
  

Okay. I'm out. I'm totally late for work.

A sad state of affairs

I had one glass of wine with dinner.
One fabulously cold glass of Riesling.

Now, I'm feeling hot and sleepy and, well. . . winey (not to be confused with whiney).

In my defense, it was a very large glass.

Another sad state of affairs - my plans for the weekend:

• Find the bedroom floor (currently buried beneath piles and piles of clothes)
• Do the laundry
  
• Clean the floor
• Go to the bank
• Write one 15-page paper
• Start a second 15-page paper
• Scrap at least a little something

Happy weekend!

It's almost May!

Here is my design team work for Scrap-tastic for May.

Most of these goodies were created with the fantastically springy May kit.


ETA: Cannot believe I forgot to say this the first time . I can't take total credit for the next LO. It was totally inspired by one of Em's LOs that were chosen by CK as lay-out-of-the-day.

4 Now, 3 Later

Miss Natalie celebrated her birthday this week.

This conversation happened many times over the past week.

Any Adult: (to Natalie) How old are you going to be?
Natalie: (with confidence) Four.
Any Adult: Really? I thought you were going to be three.
Natalie: (with indignant disbelief) Nope. I four. I be three later.

Well. We were all relieved when Natalie proudly displayed three fingers (her actual age) while we sang to her tonight. She's growing up too fast already. I can't imagine wishing away an entire year.

I took many, many pictures of every detail of the festivities. But, for tonight I will just leave you with these shots. . . Natalie with Maggie (her beagle) and Memphis (our dog). As she made the guest list for her party, she included all of her three and four year old friends and Memphis; it was, apparently, imperative that Memphis attend her party. We obliged.

Natalie is not the only one who is growing up too fast.
Miss Katelyn is laughing and smiling and walking.
Yup. Miss Katelyn - age 11 months - is walking.

How'd we get so lucky as to have these two as part of our lives? Who would have guessed that lots of beers with their parents in college would lead to this later!

Legs

So. . . from the title of this post I imagine you are really frightened that I might talk about my incredibly white legs (which I revealed only partially today in capri pants).

But, what I am about to talk about is actually far more disgusting than my white legs.

Millipedes.

We are in the middle of an amazingly intense millipede invasion. There are more legs around my house than there were in Boston on marathon day earlier this week.

Millipedes are everywhere in our house. Brad killed five at one time yesterday.
Yup. Five.
(Poor Stephanie even had to kill one when she was here for our scrap extravaganza a few weekends ago!)

I am dreaming that they are crawling on my bedroom ceiling.

I wake up completely positive that one or more of them has crawled down into my throat and is headed straight for my stomach.

It is out of hand.
(Both my neurosis about the millipedes and the actual number of millipedes.)

What does one do about this problem? I'm off to Google.

Here's what I found.
Plus, Brad just confessed that he has the "hebee jeebies" and couldn't fall asleep last night until 12:30 at night after killing the five bugs (which have actually turned out to be centipedes and not millipedes).

Yum.

Yesterday I made a grocery list - a grocery list filled with spring food.

Are you like that? Do you have spring food and summer food and winter and fall food?
Around here spring food has lots of color and smells great and is kind of light-tasting. It is probably cooked on the grill. It's not quite summer food (lots of fresh produce and not cooked at all). It is a big contrast to winter food that is heavy and cooks for a long time and probably goes in the oven.

Anyway. . . Saturday's spring meal was a great pasta dish with grilled chicken and some chilled Riesling.


Ziti with Asparagus, Smoked Mozzarella, and Prosciutto
(Compliments of Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis)

8 oz. dried ziti
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut in 1" pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 oz. smoked mozzarella, diced (about 1/2 C)
3 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into strips
3 Tbsp. thinly sliced fresh basil

Bring pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ziti and cook for five minutes, stirring often. Add the asparagus and cook until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, and the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain the pasta and the asparagus, reserving 1 C of the cooking liquid.

In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the pasta, asparagus, 1/2 tsp. each of salt and pepper, and the 1 cup of reserved cooking liquid, and toss to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the mozzarella, prosciutto, and basil and toss to combine. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Makes so much that you will be able to eat it for two nights.

My work is weird.

Reason # 1
Only one person (a sixth grade boy) out of 600+ students and 60+ staff members noticed that my hair was a drastically different color today than it was yesterday.

Reason # 2
There was a beagle in our library this morning. Yup. You read that right.
Before there were students or teachers in the building, someone found a beagle (a real, live beagle) just wandering around the library. No idea how it got there or who it belonged to. Someone just corralled it, took it to the health room, and left it there. I never did find out if its owner came or what.

My work is weird. No?

My Inner Blonde

Elle Woods.
Barbie.
Marilyn Monroe.
Hillary.
Charlize Theron (one of Brad's favorites).

There are lots and lots of great blondes, right?(I do realize I'm not nearly as blonde as any of the blondes listed above, but this is pretty blonde for me. I'm much more of an auburn or red kind of gal.)

And, we can just think of this as "Summer Babs." I even wore flip flops (and bought a pair of sandals) today.

He loves me.

He really loves me.

We have a favorite ice cream place. It's an hour away from where we live now.

Brad has been out of town for a few days.

He borrowed a cooler from a friend, made a special trip to the favorite ice cream place, and brought a special treat home for me. . . a banana foster brownie flurry made with chocolate ice cream.

After last week's debacle, I'm not quite sure what I did to deserve such treatment. But, I'm one happy gal.

A little more scrapping. . .

I made a mini last weekend and haven't had a chance to share it with you until now. . .

I can take zero credit for the design. It's a copy of a Kristina Contes album. You can order a kit to make the same album here.

Also, I developed the pictures through Scrapbook Pictures. They have lots of different sized pictures available.

Scrapping Adventures

I seem to be finding a million reasons right now not to make anything.

But, I do have a scrappy date with Stephanie tonight and am hoping to kick the non-creating streak in the butt.

Meanwhile. . . here is what I made with the Scrap-tastic April kit.

Becky is keeping the store stocked with some great stuff. . .
Pink Paislee
Hambly
Making Memories
Jenni Bowlin
. . . to name a few.

I haven't made a card in ages. . . totally stole this idea from Ali Edwards.


Another idea stolen from AE. . . painting over KI lace cardstock to create a background. (It's actually one of my favorite techniques right now.


A two-page 8.5 x 11 spread. Crazy talk, huh? I whipped this up while scrapping with the Studio Calico girls in Chicago. Sigh. That seem like so long ago.


Last, but certainly not least. . . I designed a project kit to accompany the main kit for April. You can make (of course!) a mini with it. (Shhhh. This is a gift for Nicky and Christ for Natalie's birthday. There is one picture from each month since Natalie's second birthday. She's going to be 3 in just a few weeks. Too bad she's totally convinced she's going to be 4. But that's a different story. . . )

The last two pages are blank because I still need to add pictures from March and April 2008.


Off to read about professional learning communities.

2008: Wife of the Year

I wasn't even trying to compete, but I'm afraid I inadvertently have earned the illustrious title of Wife of the Year--2008.

Reason 1:
On my way out the door Monday morning, I realized I only had a key to the Fusion and no keys to the house. I ran in, grabbed the house key, and skipped off to work.

Too bad the house key was also attached to the Escape keys - the very same Escape keys that Brad needed if he planned to leave the house at all yesterday (he had the day off).

So, after leaving a few frantic messages on my cell phone and a few more with my secretary, Brad hitched a ride to my work to pick up the keys. He was not very happy.

This earned me my nomination for Wife of the Year 2008.

Reason 2:
Brad went for a run at the YMCA last night after dinner. I promptly fell asleep on the couch (didn't even get to see The Hills or The Bachelor!).

I was awoken by a ringing phone. The caller ID wasn't working, and the phone wasn't within reach of the couch. I decided not to answer. The person hung up right before the answering machine.

But, the phone immediately started ringing again. Hmmmm. That's strange. But, my sleepiness got the better of me, and - you guessed it - I decided not to answer.

Well, then the phone started ringing again. I was really honked off now. I mean, really! Who needed to talk to me so badly?!!??

Turns out the YMCA needed to talk to me so badly.

Brad had some kind of a bizarre allergic reaction while running, was covered with hives, itching like a mad man, seeing stars, and feeling like he might throw up. Pretty serious, actually. Would I come to the YMCA and bring some Benadryl?

So. . . I went to the YMCA. . . in my pajamas and without a bra on.

There was Brad, sitting on a chair, looking miserable surrounded by four female YMCA employees. Each and every one of them was staring at me real slow up and down when I walked in.

One of them said (in her very best judgy Clueless voice), "Oh. I assume you're Brad's wife. We called six times."

Yup. That's right. They called six times. I slept through the first three and opted not to answer four or five. They also left a message on my cell phone.

You can go ahead and imagine the rest of things they must have been thinking about me.

ETA: Brad is completely fine. He is going to see an allergist sometime soon.

This solidified my position as Wife of the Year 2008.
Or. . . it might just mean it will be a miracle if we make it through April without filing for divorce!

(It - especially the second part - also means that I will probably be forced to cancel my YMCA membership, as I'm sure all the employees now know me as the woman who wouldn't come help her husband! The second part also solidified what I've always known - nothing good comes of running!)

Dear Diary (Part Quatro)

6 April 2008

Dear Diary,

I'm in love!

But, I shouldn't be.

I should be mourning the loss of my dear, sweet Ranger. Brad and Barb showed me the pictures as soon as they got home today to try to break it to me gently.

It wasn't good.


Then they introduced me to him.
I forgot about Ranger instantly.

He is shiny and black. He has an iPod jack. He has a soft, beige interior.
He is a 2007 - younger than me, but age is just a number.

He is simply irresistible.

His name is Fusion.
He parks right beside me.

I'm going to bat my headlights at him all night long to see if he notices me.

Escape Fusion. It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

More later, Diary.

Dear Diary (Part Tres)

4/2/2008

Dear Diary,

I sure wish Barb loved me just a little more. I mean, really. Who takes their beloved vehicle to the CarX man and expects it to actually be fixed well?!!???

So, I had no choice. She made me feel cheap and neglected.

I had to break down again this morning, and I had to do it at a far more dramatic time than the last incident. I had to really get her attention.

So, just as Barb was pulling on to the highway to go to work, I started chugging and chugging and chugging. I threw on my engine light. I flashed it a few times. Then, just for the dramatic effect, I started running fine again. But, at the very last moment before Barb could exit, I took a huge chug. She veered off the highway and took me straight to the mechanic.

Barb didn't take any chances this time. She took me to the Taj Mahal of mechanics. The kind of place that doesn't even smell like a mechanic. The kind of place that they wash you up and vacuum you out after they fix you. I mean, you never want to go to the mechanic. But, if you have to go. . . this is just the kind of place you want to go to.

But, boy. Barb was angry. She had to have the mechanic give her a ride to work, and she was late. She hates being late. Plus, it cost a lot of money to have me fixed. I needed a new coil and new spark plugs. Oh. And the mechanic fixed that pesky recall on my brakes that Barb's been getting tons of notices about.

The mechanic did give her a whole list of other things on me that need to be fixed. . . I have a burned out light by the license plate. I have a little exhaust leak. Some of my fluid is burnt. I need to be flushed. Overall, though, I'm feeling pretty great right now.

That's more than can be said for Ranger. I heard that he is in pieces right now. I even heard that the mechanic might just toss the pieces in Ranger's bed and let Brad have him towed away instead of having him fix. Oh! The Horror!

But, the upside is that they might only be able to afford to get a Kia. I know that I will be the favorite car if a Kia is parked me next to me in the garage.

Dear Diary. . . (Part Deux)

4/1/08

Dear Diary,

Turns out I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. It is possible - just possible - that I might have flashed my check engine light prematurely yesterday. I have always had a flair for the dramatic.

The Car X man poked around under my hood for awhile this morning. I felt a little violated at first, but luckily it didn't take him long to figure out what the problem was.

My fifth cylinder decided to take a vacation and wasn't firing at all. Mr. Car X gave me a little TLC, wiggled some wires, did some cleaning, and sprayed some grease. Then, he took me for a spin. I was running perfect. He sprayed water under my hood (thinking it was sitting all day in the rain that may have caused the problem). I still ran perfect.

I left the shop completely healthy after Mom paid a small bill (way less than she spends at Studio Calico each month!). I'm tucked in for the night in my spot in the garage right next to the Jetta.

(I still haven't heard anything about Ranger yet. I overheard that the mechanics in that other city spent all day looking at him and still haven't given him a diagnosis. That doesn't sound like good news.)

Gotta go, Diary. A whole day at the mechanic really tires a girl out!

P.S. She got a call today about scheduling my spa (aka auto body) appointment. Turns out I will get an entire week's vacation and come back good as new. Ahhhhhhhh. Take me away!