FNL- The Let's Dance Edition

Holy confusion Blogger- what happened to my dashboard? Why won't you function properly on my laptop? Since I'm now attempting this from my iPad, I don't have the Friday Night Leftovers image, but I'll give it a go. Where the hell did the bullets function go?

• Fudge had a birthday party to attend last night and the music was fantastic! Makes me miss the days of a wedding every weekend and some good dancing. Cupid Shuffle anyone?
• Speaking of dancing, we had a folk dance night at Fudge's school this week, which was a great deal of fun and laughter. The next day Fudge told me he was a little disappointed: "I thought it was going to be a real dance, in the dark, with a disco ball and crazy lights, so I could show off my moves." Then he showed his moves- looked like a cross between the Elaine on Seinfeld and some odd break dancing. No lack of confidence there.
•  I've kissed 10 pounds goodbye! The only thing I am craving? Pizza. Who would have thought?
• I am exactly 90 days away from being on more than just a few days of island time. Ahhhh! Speaking of island time, my parents are in Hawaii and cruising for three weeks. Fudge misses Nonna & Poppy, but it's nice to recognize what a bond they have. He's counting the days until we meet them at the airport.
• Summer camp craziness is almost settled...I'd rather run the NFL draft- that's got to be easier than the camp planning shuffle.
• Danifred, I owe you my Disney planning spreadsheet. PM (via FB) your email and I'll send you the Excel file. Ok, off to volunteer this afternoon and more soccer this weekend. Make it a good one!

Friday Night Leftovers- Case of the Hootypuckers Edition

No doubt, we've had better weeks. Here's to the end of the work and school week...

• Champ, Fudge's parakeet, died. Equally devastated are Fudge, me, and Buddy, our other 'keet. We dug a grave last evening in a beautifully sunny spot in the yard, buried poor Champ, and Fudge painted a tombstone. Buddy has not chirped or blessed us with his song since Champ passed :(

• Any parents of sleepwalkers out there? Fudge's latest the other night was a 3am wander into the bathroom and pee in the trash can. At least it wasn't the clothes bin.





• I awoke at 2am- as in WIDE AWAKE. On the upside, I now have a cleaned out pantry and the birds/squirrels/rabbits/raccoons/'possums have some new snacks...even tried homemade suet (at 4am) and got a jump on preparing weekend meals. It's one of the only times this year you can call me Martha. Oldest thing in the back of the rounder cabinet- any guesses? Unopened seaweed sheets from 2005!





• Weekend plans include celebrating my brother's birthday this evening (I can almost taste that margarita), soccer, and hopefully some sunshine and free time to enjoy it. Oh and some sleep, that would be nice. The motto around here is "you can sleep when you're dead."





• Just realized I have a stack of overdue library items...dear YCPL- I think your email alert system needs some bugs worked out. I don't need to know the stuff due in two weeks, I need to know what's due now.





• Some big wins at work this week- now to sustain them.





• Not much of a TV watcher and while I lose enthusiasm for Revenge, I am hooked on Missing. Last week's episode reminded me all over again why I just love the city of Prague! Scandal is intriguing as well.





• I need to wrap up the summer camp registration hustle...it's intense here...reminds me of bidding on a house. In the interim, I lost my mind and said yes to a fantastic camp I attended as a kid...which means commuting 90 miles EACH way for a week, on top of the hefty camp fee. I must really love Fudge.





• Speaking of houses, remind me why I left my wonderful townhome 10 years ago? I hate keeping up with this @#^%&*( yard!

Want to share in the FNL love? Visit our wonderful host and super-mom to three, Danifred.

Friday Night Leftovers- The Dazed Edition

Actually, the title should probably be the "dazed and confused" edition...

• Spring break was just what we needed- fresh air, sunshine, adventure, and back to nature. Ok, maybe a little too much nature for this city girl, but nature nonetheless. It ranged from having a camel in my car, a moose trying to kiss me, a big snake right near our feet in the river, and a precariously teetering (but fun) swinging bridge.




• Today is my Dad's 60th, so I had his yard "flocked" with flamingos, skel-a-mingos, and tombstones. It was my Mama, however, who surprised me with the text requested for the yard sign: "Shut the flock up- Bob's 60!"




• Soccer season is in full swing, and as I posted on Facebook the other night, "It must be parent asshat night at youth soccer." You should have heard the parents SCREAMING at their kids. I'm not talking about encouraging shouting, but full out rage screaming- "[Child's Name] YOU DON'T LET ANYONE PAST YOU WITH THAT BALL, DO YOU HEAR ME?" Lady, the whole effin' sports complex can hear you! Were we in an episode of What Would You Do, or maybe The Twilight Zone? And it went like that for the whole game; I had to stifle myself with the parents/grandparents behind me. All I could think was how sad for that kid and would these people please take their obnoxious (Long Island?) accents back to where they came from. Unfortunately, about half of the parents from that team behaved in the same manner. These are a bunch of 6 and 7 year olds, not Manchester United.




• I pulled the muscles in my lower back, so while I am getting relief, I feel like Molly Ringwald's older sister in 16 Candles. Surely you remember the one, who could hardly function thanks to some good drugs? Oops, is that drool on the keyboard?

Want to join the FNL fun? Stop by and see our lovely and talented host, Danifred, along with allof the other ladies from FNL.

Friday Night Leftovers

• I'm working like a mad woman today so I can take off with Fudge until April 10th. Regardless of public opinion of my employer, my own opinion, or the financial services industry as a whole, my leave time and flexibility is top-notch, which I greatly appreciate. Too many parents have to choose between "employee" or "parent" during school breaks and I am thankful that I don't have to make that choice. If only we could get the majority of employers in this country to value the parent-child connection. Or the having-a-life connection, regardless of parental status. Hmph!
  



• This amendment 1 in NC is so bass-ackwards. I'd say thank goodness I kissed NC goodbye years ago, but I'm still in the South and in a pretty bass-ackwards state myself.
  



• Lately, I'm having crazy vivid dreams- what's that about? Last night, I was back in Germany, speaking French. ???
  



• Need a good book for the weekend/next week- suggestions?
  



• Why don't Christians celebrate Passover? Jesus observed it- what's the deal? The church I grew up in could never satisfactorily answer the question. Any takers?

Want to join the FNL? Be sure to visit Danifred to play along.

Fudge Makes Dinner

Fudge decided to serve me dinner the other night...what a pleasant surprise that I had fish, milk, yogurt, and lots of fresh fruits and veggies! Maybe all of those Saturday mornings at the farmer's market, in search of fresh fruits, veggies, and seafood, are paying off?

What Are You Doing Right?

Social media can be a fabulous tool for communication and runs the realm of being a collaboration tool and a time suck, inspiring and damaging, thought-provoking and ignorant...all at the same time...one web with many outcomes. As I consider my own use of social media, I find the newsworthy, the celebratory, the information sharing, and the quick connection to those I care about to be the most gratifying. What will not get me to bite is the "vague-booking" status updates, not-so-vague-give-me-constant-and-unwarranted-attention updates and the look-at-my-perfect-life updates (what insecurities are you hiding, not so well I might add?). I'm sure I'm guilty of the latter too; a girl's got to be able to celebrate with friends and family when something is going well. I do celebrate the good times, but I'm also here to be real about what is not going as planned (on-fire tread mills, mis-steps in my new role, Fudge's stunts and ER visits)...it's life right? And to quote Dr. Seuss (yes, I've been part of Read Across America too):

“So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life's A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you'll move mountains.” ― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go!

Lately, I find it's easy to fall into the trap of trying to live up to "supermom" status, or even "superstar at work" status. Most of you who just read that sentence had THAT mom come to mind- perfect kids, perfect house, perfect figure, perfect spouse, perfect income...perfect, perfect, perfect. The first question I ask is why are we comparing? I'm here to tell you that if I compare, it's a lost battle from the start. My house right now- total mess and chaos (which drives me nuts). If you came to the front door today, we'd be standing on the porch to converse, with the front door firmly shut (how ungracious, I know). Toys are everywhere, laundry is piling up, the floors need to be mopped, toilets scrubbed, showers de-scummed...you get the picture. I still haven't mailed thank you notes from Fudge's party last month, or from the PTA fundraiser. My child downed a piece of pizza and red velvet cake for dinner on the run last night- not our typical fare, but that was his dinner...no veggies, no fruit, no "eating the rainbow." I'd have to ask Fudge when he last washed his hair, Dax needs a good brushing, Salem needs to get back for a check-in with the vet, taxes are looming, summer camp rosters are filling, piano didn't get practiced thoroughly and I feel behind most days. I'm in a new role at work, drinking from a fire hose, and the issues can seem worse when compounded.

For this day, despite the dirty floors and sticky doornobs, the crazy Excel formulas and constant meetings, I am giving myself permission to focus (actually requiring myself to focus on small wins) on what I am doing well...what I am thankful for...sometimes we just need a reminder:

• My team and I pulled off a very successful quarterly meeting for 800+ participants worldwide and with an internationally recognized speaker. WHEW!


• I made it to the market, so we've got fresh, healthy choices stocking the fridge and freezer.


• The laundry mountain is slowly, but surely, eroding.


• I'm learning new skills in the workplace and establishing valuable and meaningful connections.


• My child is usually easy going and happy, healthy, well-adjusted and a blossoming voracious reader...I could learn from him- not to sweat the small stuff.


• I can laugh at myself, even when I am the unintended entertainment...nothing like singing Happy Birthday while unintentionally back-flipping over a couch and taking the whole damn thing with you. Classicly me! And we wonder why Fudge is so accident prone?


• And finally, drumroll please, I've been consistent with my work-outs and I'm down four pounds this week. That was a hard-won victory!

What are you doing well in the midst of demands, stress, and/or chaos? What do you need to give yourself a pat on the back for, despite the mountain in front of you?

Friday Night Leftovers- Get Outta That Funk Edition

It's been a seriously funky week that I am looking forward to putting behind me. Drumroll please, the not so exciting edition of Friday Night Leftovers rolling around in my mind:

• Anyone else out there politically exhausted? I've spent the last 15+ years identifying as "conservative" and with the slim Republican options these days, I am over it. Seriously, it is causing me to re-think so many things that my head spins. There, I said it- I'm having a political identity crisis...



• ...which brings me to the news- same drivel, different day. I've taken to getting any world news from the BBC since we cannot seem to cover world events in this country. I also benefit from one of my friends regularly posting (on FB) thought-provoking, debate and essay-ensuing news links. Thanks for keeping the intellectual dialogue alive RK! And thanks to my childhood buddy at River Mud for keeping it real on the environmental front. From the water crisis in India, to the Chesapeake Bay and poaching in MD, he's got you covered.



• Time to feel human again- cut and color at my favorite salon this afternoon. For locals, you know this means laughing hysterically with Kelley and her non-stop entertainment.
  


• Fudge's loft and bottom bunk are finally delivered and set up (that only took 6 weeks : /). Now taking bets on the next ER visit. What's that you say? "Shhhh, don't jinx him!" No chance- Fudge is Fudge. Although, Mitchell, he does take way too keen of an interest in the story of you jumping for the ceiling fan from the top bunk and breaking your arm.



• I've created a monster- Fudge has visited 17 states, 27 major cities, and 1 foreign country before he turned 7, so I guess it should not surprise me that he's requested returning to Aruba this summer. When I told him no to the happy island this summer, he came back with his next offer: "Oh, ok- I guess you can book Brazil." Where does he get this stuff? Why Brazil? Because one of the little friends he made in Aruba was from Brazil. The fantastic part was watching these kids play and neither shared a common language.
  


• We are not going to Brazil, but I did agree to the boy's request for a sunny, warm island. I welcome (read: crave) more international travel as Fudge grows/matures. And how old do they have to be to dive? ;)



• Spring Break is coming and we're going to create our own "Weird Virginia" tour...Foamhenge, Zebras in the car, George Washington's graffiti. Also planning a day trip to climb Jockey's Ridge if any local friends are interested, but know Fudge will deny it is Jockey's Ridge and inform you he is climbing the Great Pyramids at Giza- just go with it.

Ok, enough randomness. Send some good juju my way to eliminate this feeling of funk...and if you are playing along with FNL, visit Danifred for all of the latest.