"Twilight" Aftermath

I did it, I finally finished the "Twilight" series. I also went to my friend Rochelle's to see the movie as part of a Mom's Night Out on Friday. All I can say is "Wow!" I've never been really a fan of vampire literature, but I was totally sucked into the love story of Edward and Bella. Now I'm kind of sorry I pushed myself to finish "Breaking Dawn" so quickly. There's no more left!! I know, I know, there's "Midnight Sun" online, but no new material. Waah~

Wordless Wednesday: Ball O' Yarn

Welcome to Oldville

I was driving home from work today, listening to the radio. One of the Boston stations is having this promotion about Pearl Jam, centered around the re-release of their first album, Ten. They play a song from the album at the beginning of every hour. I got to thinking about how much I loved (and still love) that album. I was all happy and warm for a few minutes, lost in nostalgic memories of of my friends' parties, my first boyfriend, marching band and other teenage stuff. Then nostalgia was replaced with some quick math....HOLY CRAP! "Ten" came out seventeen years ago!! Great, nothing makes you feel old when the music you liked growing up becomes "Classic Rock!"

If Sandra Bullock is Reading This....

...I totally agree with Janet Evanovich wishing that you would play "Stephanie Plum" in a movie version of her most popular book series!! You would be perfect!!! I've seen you play badass, and I've seen you play clutzy. Stephanie Plum is the ideal marriage of both those things. You would make a fabulous Jersey chick. So if you get a call, please consider it. I'm rooting for you!

I'm almost finished reading The Stephanie Plum Series, and I'm sad to watch them come to an end. For years I avoided these books at the supermarket check-out, totally judging them by their covers. ("Ten Big Ones?? Seriously???) Now I'm elated to read on Janet's website that she's contracted through #16 (#14 came out last year) and has no plans of stopping. I'm just bummed to have to wait like everyone else now!!

Sensible or Fashionable: You Decide!

My brother's getting married in May! It's definitely a family affair, with me a bridesmaid and my husband the best man. Lots of planning going on at our house!!

I took my dress to the seamstress last week, and I ordered my shoes. Can someone please tell me why bridal shoes are so damn expensive??? I had to pay $60 to get a pair of shoes, and it's a three-week wait for them to be dyed to match the chocolate brown dress. I'm glad I thought of going early to get those suckers picked out.

As for the shoes and maturity: I tried on three or four pairs. I narrowed it down to a pair of strappy sandals with a higher, square heel, and a pair of pump-like shoes with a low heel and a peep-toe. I liked the sandals a lot, but they rubbed slightly at the base of my toes. I said to myself, "Self? How are these shoes going to feel after wearing them for twelve hours, including dancing?" Ten years ago I would've picked them 'cause they were prettier. But I chose the pumps. That's definitely a sign of getting older: being more sensible! It made me feel a bit old. Where's the fun-loving gal and who's this Mom-Figure that's replaced her? Eh...most days I'm fine with it!!

Tomorrow I'm going dress shopping with Mom to pick her out a dress for the wedding. I'm also going to peruse the sale racks to find something to wear to my friend Michelle's wedding. I'm hoping some luck will come our way!!!

Just Call me Grace

I saw the doctor last week and they're concerned about my weight and blood pressure. So I've been told again to start exercising, and to eat small healthful meals and to get some downtime. Over the weekend we snapped up a WiiFit at Target. I thought that it would make getting some exercise fun.

It is fun! However, it's not nice. When it took my measurements and told me in its little squeaky voice "Oh, you're obese!" I wasn't a happy camper. But I guess the truth is easier to take in that cute little voice, because I didn't feel like smashing it. Anyway, the exercises are fun, with headbutting soccer balls and doing "step aerobics." I don't think I'm quite up to the yoga poses yet.

Fast-forward to the second night, when I fell off the thing while doing step aerobics and trying to avoid Will, who was running in circles around me and yelling "Stomp, Stomp!!" Then I hurt my ankle trying to run in place. Running soooo is not my exercise. I woke up last night in tears, with a familiar burning ache in my back. Guess who's re-injured her back?? Yep, me. It's not as bad as last time but it really does hurt a lot, and I'm the walking dead today from not gettting any sleep. It took four Advil and the heating pad to get back to sleep.

So for the next couple of days I'll be healing, taking it easy and indulging in an activity I've dubbed "WiiQuit:" lounging on the couch after Will's gone to bed, flipping through primetime TV and maybe eating a little ice cream. Do I know how to party, or what?? :)

Mooch and Hoard

I've always been a fan of books, of reading. Books take you places you might not be able to get to. They allow you to escape the everyday, which is something I've done a lot lately to destress. Whenever I've moved to a new place in the past, one of the first things I go to find out is where is the library and how do I get a card?? I have no willpower when it comes to books. I carry a pad and a pen with me to the bookstore to write down titles in the bookstore so that I don't buy them all at once. In elementary school I frequently got busted for having a book in my hand and reading about something I wanted to read instead of paying attention to the teacher. A junior-high crush used to tease me and call me "Bookmaster" in a sneering voice, much to my chagrin. (I didn't see that as a term of endearment back then.)

Anyway, I was knitting at my friend Sally's house not that long ago and we were discussing books. Sally appears to love books as much as I do, and has a similar budget and space constraint. So when she told me about Bookmooch, I thought it was a pretty good idea. Bookmooch is a website where you get to list books that you are both looking to read and looking to get rid of. You earn points for books that you list, and you can "mooch" books from other readers. All it costs is the price to ship a book to someone, you don't pay for any books that you receive. And at like two bucks to ship media mail, it's a nice savings. Plus, in order to save on clutter, you can always re-list them after you've read them.

So, this is such a great idea, that I have aleady shipped four books and received three. I also can't seem to stop getting piles of books out of the library. I've attacked my Goodreads list with ardent fervor. My end table in the living room is covered in books I've mooched and borrowed. I have more reading material in this house right now than I can get through. Not that that's going to stop me from trying!!

One good thing that I hope comes out of my love for reading is my children's love for books. Will already loves books, he has his own shelf in his room and has his favorites. I will do everything in my power to keep him interested for the long run. After all, a phone call from his fourth grade teacher concerning his reading during classes will not just give me a cause for some concern, but a little bit of nostalgia.

Nothing Like Last-Minute Planning!!

Ever had "one of those days" where you pull all of your clothes out of your closet and try them on and you hate them all??? If you're a woman, I'm willing to bet you have, more than once! Since I became a working Mommy, I've learned to fly by the seat of my pants with the best of 'em. But some days leave me truly grasping....like today. Happily, everything worked out in the end, but I often feel like these scenarios would make a great sitcom. :)

I had a ribbon-cutting ceremony for my new property to go to today. I pulled a pre-baby navy blue suit out and wasn't shocked that it only fit my pre-baby body. My favorite french blue blouse has lipstick stains from washing it with my favorite lipstick. (oops) Frumpy sweaters....pants that I pulled out of the bottom of the laundry hamper (sniffsniff....still good? No!) Clearly, I couldn't go in pajamas or my "Mom Uniform" which consists of jeans and a beat up t-shirt.

So what's a girl to do??? Storm Dress Barn as soon as they open, that's what! I found a suit in record time, to go with one of the three pairs of shoes I had in the car. (no, seriously.) This is shaping up to be the best shopping trip ever! Only problem is, I am a short girl. And these pants were made for a beanpole. Hmmmm.....I'll try tape back at work. Instead I hit the jackpot! One of the residents at the other building can hem them for me....by 3pm! I insist on doubling her small fee, since it was a rush job and she did it so quickly. And then I have a nice suit and look presentable, instead of like a frumpy mess. All RIGHT!!