Crafty, crafty

It's been too long since I've gotten my craft on. Stop looking so surprised; I can be crafty! ;) My craftiness just happens to come in the form of making my own scrubs (usually sugar, but I've made a few truly fabulous salt scrubs for people), lip balms/glosses, and candles.  Ohmygod, the candles.  I'm still giving them away...;)
 In my SAHM days, I created several different bath salt and oatmeal bath formulations for the zilla. My girl is incredibly sensitive to scent and a softly scented bath has been known to work wonders on her overstimulated senses. I won't lie--they work wonders on a momma's frayed nerves as well.  That and some Tito's vodka (thanks, JenQu! )
In any case, my Fresh Sugar Body Polish is rapidly depleting--the zilla has discovered it's wonder and uses it as often as she can get away with--and the spendiness of said scrub is enough to send me scrambling off to my local natural foods store for essential oils and organic brown sugar.

So that's the plan. If you are interested in testing out any of my creations, hit me up. I always make too much and am more than happy to share.

<3

The winds of change are blowing, and they smell of freedom

Only one more day (as far as I'm concerned, once I'm up, this day is already in the bag) until a much deserved summer break. 

Three glorious weeks to spend as I please. I truly cannot wait. Summer session was an absolute beast and, as much as I love my boys, I need a break from them--and I am sure they need one from me, too!

Sleeping in and reading by the pool, anyone? Perhaps a few trips to the beach? Anything is possible--and that is an absolutely delicious feeling.

<3

Wasting days...

It is a lovely day, and we should be outside. Instead, the zilla is still sleeping (summer vacation is coming to a close--not too many more days like this), J. is banjo-ing (yes, I know that is not a word), and the Moo is stretched out, "sausage style," on the floor. I am steadily eating my way through several pounds of blueberries while catching up on my interwebs reading and a quick posting here and there. But mostly not there.

Eventually, I will need to get my ass in gear and accomplish something...anything today. For now, I am content to fritter away a few hours before my to-do list comes a-calling. And it will come. It is relentless.

<3

Twilight

You really haven't lived until you've seen J's masterful re-enactment of the Twilight saga. Fucking hilarious! :)

The zilla is a huge Twilight fan and J has more than agreeably sat through the two previous Twilight films with her so that he'll be "all caught up" when we take the zilla to see the latest installment tonight.

And, for the record, I'm not so much of a fan of Lily seeing the Twilight series but it's either J and I take her or her dad and his girlfriend take her. At least I know I will clap a hand over her eyes in a hot second. And yeah. Sometimes that divorced-parent-pressure thing is a killer.

<3

She who Dares to Stand where I Stood...

So many seemingly everyday, pay-no-mind, things evoke a thousand tiny memories of the people and places that have woven themselves into the tapestry of the person I am today.

I can never help but wonder if those individuals remember the same instances. The same memories. If someone else is standing in the same spot where I once stood and making his/her own memories.

So many seem to be in such a rush to erase the past. Or, as a friend says, "Give it the Eternal Sunshine treatment." I, for one, am in no such hurry. So I keep all those memories, all the fabulous and utter fail, with me. And I wonder if somewhere, someone is remembering too.

<3

On the road again...

A very short notice trip has me frantically packing up J, the zilla, and I and heading out to see some of my best girls. If you remember, my sister friends and I all converged on the great city of Chicago in March but some of the girls were unable to make it. A not-so-serious post about a road trip turned serious and now the Qu fam is heading this way to pick us up so that we can road trip it together.

This is the first time J will meet any of the sister friends outside of Qu and I am agonizingly excited. My girls have pulled me through some of the worst times ever and I don't know where I would be without them.

If you are a SF and reading this, I love you--truly, truly. I wish we could all be there this weekend. Can't wait until next year's gathering. Vegas, yes? Oh, the damage we could do in Vegas...

<3

Is this what driving brings?

Is there a better feeling than driving with the windows all the way down and the music all the way up? Wind rushing through my hair and singing at the top of my lungs. I almost never feel as free as I do in these moments.

<3

Come so close that I might see...

Curled up and attempting to read my Scientific American before nodding off for the night. This would be much easier if I were wearing my glasses versus J's glasses--especially since my eyes are so much worse than J's.
Where are my glasses? Unknown. Somewhere between here and Carbondale, most likely. Still crossing fingers that they turn up. I'm not really into spending $400 for a new pair. Yeah, I know. I told you I was blind!

In other news, we've got a couple of irons in the proverbial fire. Too early to say much more. But keep your fingers crossed for us, yeah?

<3

Waning sunday

Winding down after a day at the dunes with J. and the zilla.

Hiked my ass up one of the biggest dunes (elevation of 184 ft) and down the other side. Felt pretty awesome (read: had regained breath and stopped sweating like proverbial whore in church) until we realized that we still needed to climb some 2,567 steps to reach the next path.

Mad props to my boy, J. who kept his composure even when the zilla and I came perilously close to melting. Even attempted to help me with my piss poor map skills. If I should ever pull a Time Traveler's Wife, I will make sure to find my fourth grade self and set her straight. I mean, we can't carry a GPS all the time...

<3

Homeward bound

Zipping down the 15 with the top down, radio up, and sun on my face makes for a very relaxing last day of vacation. Headed towards L.A. For a brief visit to USC and Pinkberry (squee!) before our flight tonight. It's been an amazing week and, as Lily says, "A pretty good first family vacation."

Pretty good, indeed...

<3

Winding down

Sitting poolside watching the zilla swim with her "vacation friends" :). Today was an amazing day which included a photo safari of the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Feeding and petting giraffes and rhinos? I could hardly contain myself! Both animals are personal favorites of mine. To see them in such a spectacular setting and interact with them...it was a "bucket list" moment. J snapped a kazillion pics which I will post sometime after we get home.

We get home! So not tired of using that phrase yet.

Miss you guys! So many fun stories to tell.

<3

It's genetic

This evening while at skating:

Random woman: "Excuse me? Are you a hockey mom?"

Me: "No, I'm not. Sorry"

Woman: "Do you know the practice schedule for next month?"

Me: "For hockey? No. My daughter doesn't play hockey. She's in figure skating."

Woman: "I heard you. But you look like a hockey mom." (What does a hockey mom look like? Evidently, me.)

Zilla: (lacing her skates as this exchange occurs) "You do kind of look like a hockey mom, momma. You also look like you can see Russia from your front door."

Perfect deadpan, my girl has. It is growing increasingly difficult to not laugh at the things she says. And yes, I am aware of whom she gets this.

<3

So much stuff...

Just a quick break from the multitude of trips I am making from one storage space (in my old town) to my new, much closer, space. Originally, I thought I would be doing this with a decent sized SUV. Two trips--maybe just one?--and done. Instead, I am forced to load my poor li'l bug to capacity and make the trek back and forth. The plus in all this? A local radio station is playing nothing but music from the '80s which makes loading up the car and the subsequent drive much more enjoyable. :)

I know! I know! Some of you will say that if it doesn't fit in my apartment, I should toss it. I would love to, but I simply cannot. My storage space is filled almost entirely with books and a few miscellaneous item that carry entirely too much sentimental value. I don't have room enough in the mini-pad to display them so they are much safer in storage...for now. Not to mention that J's plethora of instruments are not going to fit in our apartment so they must make do by hanging out with my books.

Times like these I really miss my old house. I spent all those years filling the shelves of the spare bedroom with books. Only to banish them to a small (at least the smallest space offered), but temperature controlled room. My poor books. But I have faith that, in the next year or two, we will be settled in a house of our own and my "book room" will once again flourish. :)

Alrighty. Off I go (again). Perhaps a quick stop by the OP mall to snap up a bathing suit. The pool is open and the temps are soaring. I think an early evening swim might be just the thing to round out this very busy (and rather hot) day. <3

Til Kingdom Come

A mere 16 days until J. moves back. S.i.x.t.e.e.n. days?!? I can hardly believe it. My mood is both giddy and reflective as I think about all that life has in store for us and the road that led us here.

I don't bust out a whole lot of Coldplay, but this song seems to insistently turn up on both the radio and my ipod. Evidently, it really wants to be heard. And, since it speaks to my very core as of late, I see no reason not to share with you. After all, you have all been along on this journey in some way over the last four years. (And for that, I thank you) <3



Steal my heart and hold my tongue.
I feel my time, my time has come.
Let me in, unlock the door.
I've never felt this way before.

The wheels just keep on turning,
The drummer begins to drum,
I don't know which way I'm going,
I don't know which way I've come.

Hold my head inside your hands,
I need someone who understands.
I need someone, someone who hears,
For you, I've waited all these years.

For you, I'd wait 'til kingdom come.
Until my day, my day is done.
And say you'll come, and set me free,
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me.

In your tears and in your blood,
In your fire and in your flood,
I hear you laugh, I heard you sing,
"I wouldn't change a single thing."

The wheels just keep on turning,
The drummers begin to drum,
I don't know which way I'm going,
I don't know what I've become.

For you, I'd wait 'til kingdom come,
Until my days, my days are done.
Say you'll come and set me free,
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me.
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me.
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me.

Roller girl

I LOVE to roller skate. Love love love it! When I am stressed or aggravated and want to go from cranky to child-like in a matter of mere seconds, I lace up my white skates (with hot pink and green wheels, tyvm) and skate. It's an immediate mood changer.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I could buy myself a pair of blades, but....they just don't do it for me. There's something about my old school skated and some knee high striped socks (hello '70s!) that fill me with boundless glee.

<3

Yellow car

Wonder why VW doesn't offer the convertible in my much adored shade of yellow. I'd snap up a 2010 if they did. Last generation of my beloved Beetle before they roll out the "new" model for 2011--it won't even carry the "Beetle" moniker. :(

Thankfully, my sweet yellow car is still running well. But as we race towards 150k miles, I can only hope I get another 150k from yellow car. Thank god for finely honed German engineering--I drive that car as if I have my own, personal autobahn...:)

And, yes, my Beetle's name is, most aptly, Yellow Car. The zilla named her waaaay back in 2003 when she started getting her words back.

The Dangers of Kool-Aid...

Zilla: Kool-aid in the eye is never a laughing matter, momma! Sugar causes blindness!

Me: That's in diabetics, Zils.

Zilla: Well...how do you think the sugar gets there in the first place?

Me: A Kool-aid shot to the eye?

Zilla: I rest my case.

My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard...

So going here when I hit LA. Yeah, yeah. I know I'm flying out to help J. pack up all his stuff and move him back here, but it can't be all work and no play. That's just not how I roll ;)

And, yeah, I know I can get my beloved Temptations vegan ice cream here. Still, there is something so awesome about having a place where I can go out for a shake versus making one on my own. Even if I do have to travel all the way to Santa Monica to get it. Another must on that trip? Pinkberry. Good god, I am an absolute whore for the Pinkberry goodness. ;)

<3 

Rise

As I head off for another day with my boys. I leave you with this. This book and movie changed my life, I swear it. So nice of my beloved Eddie Vedder to pen a soundtrack for it.

Happy Friday. <3

Tidbit...

Ever had one of those nights when things could have gone horribly awry and, instead, the night went perfectly? Such was my night. The zilla soldiered through an enormous amount of homework with nary a complaint, I made an amazing vegan chili,--don't tell the zil that it was Teese and not cheese!--a pre-birthday gift arrived from one of my favorite boys, although I am forbidden to open it until my bday, and I cleared half the space from my dressers and closets to make room for J.'s things--two months and four days. Time.is.flying!

Hope for the best/expect the worst. Almost always pleasantly surprised. :)

<3