happy birthday maeve!!

happy birthday to the classiest 3 year old i know

Happy Birthday, Julia!

How in the world can she already be FOUR?!?

A few weeks ago at the Allentown Art Fest, Julia was begging for a balloon the whole day. She was riding on Amy's shoulders asking over and over. Amy told her that she was broke and couldn't afford to buy the balloon. Julia responded with, "but Mooey is fixed."

She NEVER fails to make me laugh.

Can't wait for your super fun birthday party at the zoo! Happy birthday, sweet girl!

happy father's day!

Looking forward to a great dinner tonight and another (quick!) trip to the beach next week!

Neil just posted this picture on Facebook and I thought I'd share it here too. I can almost smell the Vix vaporub on his nose and the whiskey on his lips!

Happy Father's Day!!

rant of the week

I know it's late and I have a million other things to do, but I feel the need to get this out there. It bothers me that certain restaurants are trying to market their food as healthy. McDonald's has those dumb commercials where they show lettuce and tomato on a greasy hamburger and voila! it's healthy! Pizza Hut is trying to sell a new "natural" pizza. Even Nutella has a commercial about how she's practically tricking her kids into eating a healthy breakfast by spreading it on toast. I recently dipped some 100 Calorie graham crackers in Nutella, does that mean I chose a healthy snack? (It was delish, by the way. It was also 1 AM while I was working on a research paper, so it was totally deserved.) Anyway, not like I'm gonna start writing letters to Ronald McDonald or anything, just throwing it out there.

End rant.

Hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather :)

day 14

not much to say today, like usual. i've had 3 consecutive nights of 3 AM bedtimes though, so i don't have an intelligent thought right now anyway. here's what's on my mind:

• second year in a row that i've completed all 14 days of BufBloPoFo.
• what the hell is this crap?
• i just went and saw my best friend's new house. that she OWNS. why are all my friends grown ups?
• i tried to find a video of so long, farewell from the sound of music on you tube, but i couldn't find a good one! oh well, you all know the song. (and it will be stuck in my head for days)
• that's about it. peace out, homies.

day 13

I didn't post one year ago, but on March 24, 2008 I wrote this. Glorious spring break. I guess I will give you a recap of this year's spring break.

I went to Oklahoma to visit my freshman year roommate and her itty bitty baby.

I squeezed her cheeks.

I took a day trip to Dallas.

I saw lots of oil rigs...

...and even more cows...

...and a dead bobcat with a beer.

the end.

day 12

i know my BufBloPoFo posts have been pretty weak. uh, no excuses really. just stating the obvious.

anyway, i'm supposed to give some parenting advice. i'm no parent, but i have been referred to as "the baby whisperer" more than once. this doesn't make me qualified to hand out parenting tips though. you don't need my advice, but ask and you shall receive:

• have fun. turn on music and have a dance party. sing out loud in the car (in an opera voice... not like i've ever done this or anything...) you'll look and sound like a fool, but they will think it is awesome.
• relax, especially when they are freaking out. they smell fear, so don't be afraid of the inevitable tantrums.
• everyone is busy, but make sure you drop everything when they just want to cuddle and watch dora.
• ask how school was and help them with their homework.
• try to eat dinner together.
• let them wear tutus and tiaras to school.
• call aunt mooey if you need a break, i'll be over in a flash.

not to get all sappy, but i have worked with some pretty disadvantaged kids before. some of them didn't have parents at home to love them, believe in them, support them, etc. if you show a kid that they have the potential to succeed, something they may have never heard from anyone before, it's amazing how much they will push themselves. sometimes their teachers had given up on them completely, so they had no one to turn to. i always gravitate to the "bad kid" because most likely someone has told them they'll never make it (at least in the environment in which i worked). give them a little time and attention and they might see they are worthy of succeeding. granted, maeve and addie will never be put in the position where they don't get the love and support they need, but every kid needs a little push now and then.