Hypothetically Speaking

What would happen if someone neglected to read the whitening strips box that said leave on for 5 minutes and left them on for 30?

Perspective: Ridiculous!

I go to put on my make-up and discover someone has been in my drawer. My eyeshadow has distinct gouges in the pressed powder and the drawer is in disarray.  If I had toddlers this would be understandable but the youngest in the house is 10 YEARS OLD! Aren't we over this yet? (HUFF!) 

"JONATHAN! GET UP HERE NOW!"

"Yeah, mom."

"Did you touch my make-up and make this mess?"

"Yes."

(HUUUUFFFF!) "Jonathan, you know you're not supposed to touch this now CLEAN IT UP! And unless you have the money to replace what you destroy, DON'T TOUCH IT AGAIN! You're too old for this! When are you going to learn? What are you smiling about? This isn't funny! "

As he leaves, I glance in the mirror.  I didn't realize this before in my anger and frustration but somehow I'd managed to get charcoal gray shadow on my nose. RIDICULOUS! 

Life Lesson: Look in the mirror before you go off on someone.

Connecting the Dots (A look inside of an ADD brain)

I was hangin' out with my friend Stacia on my day off and it occurred to me, I finally have a label for her unique talent of retaining all kinds of seemingly useless information. I say seemingly because it becomes invaluable when I'm deciding on which brand of MP3 player to buy and where to find the best price. I call HER cause she's like a walking, talking, breathing Consumer Reports Magazine and without a blink of an eye she retrieves the 

information out of her enormous database of a brain... The label? "Market Maven".

Where did I discover this term? From a book I'm reading called Tipping Point about how social epidemics occur and the 3 key types of people who influence them. One of those types is called a Market Maven.  I happened upon this book because my husband was reading it and I have a nasty habit of reading other people's books (that they're not through with).

Where did he get the book? From my sister and bro-in-law for his birthday which was on Jan. 2nd. We celebrated with a low key family dinner at home. His gift was motorcycle riding lessons from me and the boys. I am especially proud of this gift because I am notorious for practical, "frugal" (a nice term for chintzy) and not-so-fun gifts like underwear & socks (hey, he needed them!). I think he was a little shocked that I thought of it all by myself! Now I have this recurring daydream of me gripping tightly around his waist with the wind whipping through my hair as we speed through the North Georgia Mountains to a secluded cabin for a weekend getaway on his new bike (no, he didn't get a bike- lessons first).

Happy New Year!!!

We spent the evening with friends at home ushering in the New Year by stuffing our faces (before we have to start those "resolutions"), playing 007 and Catch Phrase, and watching the peach drop as we sprayed silly string and blew our noise makers. Manny only lasted until 10pm because he was out on a 24 hour transport and got home earlier this evening. I guess I'll get my New Year's kiss in the morning. Here's to a blessed 2009!

Jonathan dressed up to greet our friends by stuffing his shirt with balloon muscles and putting on his Ramses mask. He waited anxiously by the door at 7:30pm for their arrival scheduled after 8:30. A long enough wait for him to fall asleep only to be discovered because Manny and I went in search of the strange, rhythmic squeaky sound that turned out to be a result of the balloons rubbing together when he inhaled. 

Jonathan's Lip Plumping Magic

Every day with Jonathan is an adventure because a 10 year old boy's curiosity is inexhaustible. Combine that with his extreme personality and the possibilities are endless. In this photo, we were at the local haircut establishment waiting for our turn. Jonathan had a wide-mouth bottle of Fuze and when he finished his drink decided he would see what would happen if he sucked all the air out of it... THIS is what happened! (Angelina, we know your secret!) This effect lasted 3 HOURS!

Holiday Recap

This month has been a whirlwind of activity from my week in Monterey, Christmas parties, church activities, family festivities, and tack on all the normal obligations like work and school (minus 1 week) and it all becomes a blur...

It seems only fitting that this post be a blur as well, so, here goes what I remember...

One week in Monterey visiting family and a few friends:
-Lots of snuggle time with my new nephew and playtime with nieces.

-Baylie- thanks for the walk down memory lane (vomit, pull-up blow-out, and lots & lots of spills combined with Candy Cane Lane and Starbucks- that will be a story your sister I can remind you of for years as you get older).

-I also finished the last 3 books of the Twilight series...I was only screening them because my 13 year old wanted to read them (that's what I told the guy sitting next to me on the plane when he gave me a funny look that said, "Isn't that a teen book? And you look wayyy past your teens!")

-Girls night out at Hula's-I got my fish fix: Lemongrass Hapu! (Much desired over the catch of the south-Catfish)

-Breakfast with Heather at First Awakenings

-A stop by the old stomping grounds-CCMB

-A visit to Mark's new upscale guitar shop, "Strings"

-Walks around the neighborhood with Jude to let Christine get some uninterrupted work done turned into catching up with the Holdridge family.


Christmas Parties:
-The evening I got back from Cali, was my staff Christmas party. We went to a restaurant called the Hil. I didn't know they had restaurants like this in Georgia. Great find!

-CCMcD's Ladies Christmas party was the next evening. Hosted by my mom at her house. It was spectacular. Scrumptious food, lots of games, and what Christmas party would be complete without a gift exchange?

-Manny has his Turning Point Christmas party the same night and came home with a basket full of goodies including handcuffs...

Family Festivities:
-Christmas Eve was spent at Aimee & Ryan's. We enjoyed Grandpa Luke's famous Clam Chowder, Catch Phrase and a 3 hour long drum video (thanks Ryan- I didn't know people could twirl their sticks like ninjas and still keep time. I'm going to be expecting some of those moves on Sunday mornings)

-Christmas Day started off with our traditional family breakfast. This year Little Manny requested homemade donuts to which I added sausage & eggs. This was followed by opening gifts. They came away with loads of loot (I don't care what people try to say about Christmas NOT being about the gifts. Ask any child above 3 years old- it's ALL about the gifts. More specifically, ONE gift in particular...) We went to Mom & Dad's in the afternoon where we opened more gifts, ate more delicious food and, of course, had the judging of the 2nd annual Christmas Photo Competition. Unfortunately, Dad was in bed the whole time with the flu which changed the dynamics of the day- a lot less commentary.

I'll be posting other highlights later but figured this would catch all of up since I haven't posted much lately...

Auntie Time

I'm enjoying lots of time with the nieces and nephew in Monterey this week.