Everyday Life is Beautiful

The kids are in bed (and have been since about 8:30!) My husband is out. My house is quiet except for the occasional hum of the fan inside my laptop. I don't have much of "substance" to blog about tonight, but I felt like writing - so here I am.

It's been a good couple of days. My four-year-old just wrapped his Dr. Seuss week and even tried (much to my surprise) green eggs and ham yesterday. I can't get him to even put his lips on a piece of fruit or to smell anything resembling a vegetable. He didn't like the green eggs and ham and made it very clear to me that he "only tried a tiny bit." What is it about preschool teachers? What kind of magic do they practice?

It's been an exciting 24 hours for my older son actually. Today was his first friend from school birthday party. He's been looking forward to it all week because the birthday party was held at none other than Chuck E. Cheese's. Now, we're boring parents and we actually frown on most fun, so my son had never been to Mr. Cheese's, but had gotten a taste of the action through - what else? - TV commercials. Well, it apparently lived up to the hype because not only did I hear about all the "cool" things he did all afternoon, but when he came downstairs tonight to tell me that he had taken a shower all by himself (under my husband's supervision; please no calls to social services) I believe his exact words were: "Mommy! I took a shower all by myself! But it wasn't as much fun as Chuck E. Cheese's." And when I asked him whether cuddling with me or Chuck E. Cheese's was better I was met with a pause and then, "Chuck E. ... They're both the same," and a big smile.

And so here I sit. I could call Cheryl right now and see what she's up to, but I'm not sure I've completely recovered from our last phone call - a four hour telethon that lasted until about 2 a.m. Friday morning!! Thankfully, my husband had the day off and I was even allowed to sleep in. (When I thanked him for that, he said "No problem. I mean it would be pretty hypocritical of me if I didn't let you, right?" Isn't he the cutest?) So I'll just rest up since I'll be seeing Ms. Wallaby next week!!!! I can't wait! I can't wait to hug her and to introduce her to my boys and to meet her little bean and to reminisce some more - CAW! CAW! CAW! (I'm still tearing up when I even think of that one, Cheryl!) - so here's to a safe trip and good times :)

That's enough rambling for tonight. I'm going to go do some reading. I'm still trying to catch up on my magazines. That's the funny thing. Magazines just keep coming so I feel like I'm never any closer to catching up . . . I'm sure I'll have something interesting to report after tomorrow's St. Paddy's Day Parade. It's not as "sloppy" as it used to be now that many of our friends have children who actually want to watch the parade and need supervision while they do so, but something good always happens.

Sweet dreams.

P.S. Has anyone noticed my latest online "gadget?" Put your mouse over any of the links in my posts (sidebar, too, I think) and you'll see a bubble appear that shows a preview of the webpage I've linked to. Pretty cool, huh? ... Well, I think it is :) Thanks to WannaBeHippie (do it now ... see?) for sharing it.

Dear Cheryl,

***Warning: This post is a sappy one and may be of no interest unless you are Cheryl. But feel free to read it anyway :)


"A friend might well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature." - R.W. Emerson

I could have stayed on the phone with you all night.

I can't believe we had been talking for three hours when I had to make my quick exit and go back to being a mommy. (Although it was 1 a.m. and I probably should have been in bed when my little one went looking for me there)

But can I just tell you that it was wonderful, pure bliss, just to talk to you without being interrupted; to talk to you about whatever came into my head; to talk about things other than my children; to listen to your voice and remember.

"We talk of choosing our friends, but friends are self-elected" - Emerson

Ours has been a friendship filled with happiness and (our fair share of) tribulations. While we were "inseparable" in high school, the post-high school drama was too much. And although I sometimes wonder about what might have been, I wouldn't necessarily change it because the friendship we have found as grown women is special to me as well, even if it is very different from the friendship we once had as girls.

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them." - R.W. Emerson

What hasn't changed is that I am so comfortable talking to you. I still feel safe in sharing my personal thoughts and ideas with you. I enjoy our reminiscing. I giggle at our complaints about our husbands and their lack of concern for fashion. (As if we're so "in the know.") I love listening to you talk about your daughter and hearing a love in your voice that I know is reserved for only her. And I appreciate your support, encouragement and kind words when you refer to me as a mother and the job I am doing as a parent.

My only regret is that we live too far apart these days :)
I know we wouldn't be able to enjoy late afternoon naps with three rambunctious children running around; no more spur of the moment driving trips to wherever (although they might help induce said naps for those three children I just mentioned); no more sleepovers or late night parties. But it would be nice to have a play date or two.

"Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance." - Henry David Thoreau

That is why I can't wait to see you in a few weeks. I can't wait to see your smiling face and to hug you and feel you hug me back. I can't wait to meet your precious daughter (and plan the arranged marriage between the bean and my little O).

So until then, my friend, take care of yourself and your family. I look forward to our next marathon phone call.

Love,
Nilda

P.S. Although I loathe Wal-Mart, just remember that I only picket when it's not cold or raining. I mean, seriously, why should social change have to be difficult?

Something a Little Lighter

After my VERY EARLY morning post today, I thought we could all use something a little lighter. Well, this certainly qualifies . . .




This is "Fly, Robin Fly" by Silver Convention. This was, believe it or not, the number one song on the U.S. charts on the day that I was born. A little surprising in that there are only eight words, repeated over and over and over again, in the entire song. But it's got that undeniable disco beat, and well, who needs words anyway!

Oh, the seventies . . . like it or not they will live in infamy.

Anyway, a fellow MySpacer tipped me off about this website called This Day in Music where you can plug in the day and year of your birthday and it will tell you what the number one song was in either the UK or the U.S. It was quite amusing, really, and when I saw the unfamiliar title I had to hear the song for myself.

Give it a try if you like - I plugged in my wedding day ("I'm Real" by J Lo), and both my son's birthdays (Nelly's "Hot in Here" and "Burn" by Usher - somehow appropriate if in title only) and it was a good laugh.


Attention Ms. Kookaburra: I found out that "Love Hangover" by Diana Ross was thee song of the moment on the day of your birth. (I was hoping it would be something by Anne Murray) But if that isn't enough to bring a smile to your face today, then here's hoping my video post was. *HUGS*


P.S. My sister's song was "Too Much Heaven" by the Bee Gees . . . Who doesn't love the Bee Gees?! Now heres was cool . . . what's so great about "Fly, Robin Fly - Up, Up to the Sky?" Oh well. (Happy Almost Birthday by the way!!!)

My other sister's was, hold on . . . aaaahhhh!!! "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson!! Great song!! Once again I get the shaft because I'm the oldest.

Day Fifteen: No Words Tonight

Day Seven: Pretending to Be a Porsche

It was a rather quiet day today. Nothing special to report, but of course I must fulfill my daily recognition of gratitude - so here goes.

First of all, I'm thankful that I wasn't the woman driving the grey Nissan something or other (my husband would be so disappointed that I didn't get the make and model) when the woman in the grey minivan backed out of her parking space either, a.) without looking or b.) just not noticing said Nissan in the Toys R Us parking lot. Instead, I had a front row seat as I came out of the store and the minivan backed right into the Nissan - the plastic bumper on metal door (taking with it some nice paint) made me and the other half dozen or so people in the parking lot cringe. I'm glad I wasn't that woman in the Nissan or the one driving for that matter.

I'm also grateful that three days ago I had hardly done any Christmas shopping and now all I have left is to shop for a few adults and I'm done!! That's right. A couple of power shopping trips and I am nearly finished. And what I do have left to buy I already know what I want to get - so easy peasey.

I got a chance to talk to my sister today - the one who lives far away in Florida. She sounded lonely and said she was missing home. Oops, I wasn't supposed to tell anyone that :) But who wouldn't miss home at this time of year? After all, she was telling me it was like 80 degrees there today - not exactly Christmas-like weather. I wish she could come visit. Christmas is great around these parts and with every passing day I get more and more excited. Maybe that will be my Christmas wish for 2007.

I also got to talk to Ms. Kookabura tonight. It had been a while and it was so great just to hear her voice (even though she is getting a bit of a cross between a Midwest/New England/Canadian accent going. She'll kill me for even insinuating such a thing, but it's true, Cherlito!!) Her dad is doing much better after his heart attack and has begun his recovery with a bang - no more smoking and he's giving up the junk food; It was vegetable something for dinner last night. I was paying attention mind you, but I have no idea what the dish entailed seeing as how my favorite foods are Mac 'n Cheese (from the box) and french fries. He said it was all right though, so maybe I should change my own poor menu choices . . . Nah! Who am I kidding? But it's good news for her dad :)

I'm also grateful for the time my four year old and I got to play together while my little one was taking his afternoon nap. We played "Cars" - yes that's pretend play based on the Disney movie "Cars." I was assigned the role of Sally, the electric blue Porsche who is also the female lead and I probably got the part simply because I'm a girl, too.

Anyway, we're playing and pretending when the subject changes to villains. My four year old picks up another action figure (something I believe he got in a McDonald's Happy Meal) and tells me that this villain is the most evil villain ever. He tells me that this guy is the worst villain in the universe and that he's even meaner than, gulp, GEORGE BUSH!!!

No!! Anything but that!!!

So not only am I grateful for playtime, but for yet another confirmation that my kids actually listen to me and they are quite possibly the smartest kids on the planet :)

25 Days of Gratitude

I had my Christmas rant the other day and it was after that rant that I decided to turn the tables. (It must have been one of my clearer moments under the influence of pseudoephedrine).

Instead of bitching for the next three and a half weeks, why don't I take note of all the GOOD that I have? And since I've now signed up for the 2006 Holidailies (a commitment to post at least once every day during the month of December) - I'll just share my daily dose of gratitude with all of you :)

Before I go any further, a big thanks to Alex for her post here yesterday through the blog exchange. It was a perfect segway into my 25 Days of Gratitude. She also brought a great, new audience to my site and I've found a new mom friend, too! It was my first time participating in the blog exchange and I'm so glad I did :) Can't wait for next month's prompt.

So I guess that takes care of what I was grateful for on Day One: the blog exchange, new friends and great discussion. See how easy this is?

Now onto Day Two - Today I am most grateful that Cheryl's dad is doing OK after having suffered a heart attack in recent days. I did my daily read of her blog this morning and was shocked to read the news. It was the last thing I expected and all I want to do right now is fly to Wisconsin and give her a BIG hug because she is my friend and because she is the "strong" one in the family. She is the one who everyone else looks to, the one who soothes and tells everyone it's going to be all right. Yet, this is her father we're talking about and I know she's scared, as she should be; I know she wants to scream and cry and have someone comfort her for a change and I wish I could be that person - but once again distance prevents that.

I remember how upset I was years ago when my father had a minor heart attack. I was devastated. My father and I aren't as close as we once were - physical and emotional distances are great - but of course I don't want anything bad to happen to him. I cried mostly about the uncertainty of it all. Many of us take our parents for granted, I know I do, and we expect them to be there for us until they're old and grey. Not everyone gets that though. Which is another reason I wish I could hug Cheryl right now. She knows what it's like to lose a parent and I know it must terrify her to be faced so suddenly with an event that could have caused her to lose the other one.

I am praying for you, Cheryl, and for your dad. I will think positive thoughts - like when he used to drive us in the brown van to Boston to stalk the New Kids (remember playing leap frog on the highway with Danny? How about that picture of the five of us at the end of one of our Boston excursions all posing for our group photo in front of the brown van?).

I don't know what will happen next, but I do know that she will make it through because she is strong - one of the strongest women I know, and for that I am grateful as well.